Blood in The Snow
by ringbearers-gaurdian
Summary: Sequal to Blood in the Sand. Six months after the ending events in Mexico, Sands is back in action, to catch a mole, his biggest enemies and deal with even more family. One of the three is out to drive him crazier then he already is. Can he make it?
1. Hell's Own

Authors Note: Okay, we jumped right into this one, didn't we. New characters, old characters, this is gonna be one complicated story. Enjoy, please.

Thanks to Scarlett Burns who got me started on this one after the end of _Blood in the Sands._

**Disclaimer: Do not own Sands, Once Upon A Time In Mexico or the CIA. They belong to their respected owners, obviously.**

* * *

He walked out of the smoke, a cigarette between his lips, holstering both the 9s in the shoulder holsters. He was covered in blood, dirt and grime. The air that surrounded him was one of danger and death. Behind him, the warehouse burned in a smoldering fire. No other sounds coming from it, but the crackle of fire burning up the hundred and eighty kilos of cocaine that lay inside with the dead bodies of the cartel members that surrounded it.

One of the young men who was leaning against the black SUV waiting a good distance from the burning ware house, raised his head, from the paper back book he'd been reading to see the man coming towards them. He tensed a moment. The man was striding towards them, the very being of a coool black cat who'd just won the hunt.

Inside the SUV, a young man who was a carbon copy of the one standing against the car, rolled down the driver's window raising an eyebrow.

"I swear, Logan, he always gets me..." Luke Shields said from the driver's seat.

His twin brother, Logan turned their nearly black eyes on him and grinned a cocky grin. "Why's that, Luke?"

"Ah man, look at him! I mean he looks HAPPY to have been in there killing..."

Logan looked back at the imperturbable black cat that was coming closer "I wouldn't say happy to be killing, but he's obviously happy to be the winner." Logan replied.

"Yeah, cause the losers are toastin' in Hell boys. With about a hundred kilos of blow." Sheldon Jeffrey Sands said as he stopped in front of the SUV, taking the cigarette from his lips, drawing a long drag. He grinned a dangerous, cocky grin at the young men.

Logan couldn't help but grin back at his employer. "Get your man, Jeff?" He asked Sands. Sands turned his face towards the sun taking another drag.

"One of them." He answered.

The black sunglasses where causing a thin film of sweat on his nose and he pushed the frames back up his nose as he turned his head back to the twins.

"All right, Luke, Logan, lets get the fuck out of here. I've got a lot of business to take care of."

Logan followed him around the passenger's side. Sands climbed into the front seat as Luke started the engine.

"I bet the CIA'll be happy to be rid of Valadez." Luke muttered.

"That's what they pay me to do." Sands answered, still grinning dangerously.

Logan chuckled from his seat. "At least they pay well." He said. Sands continued to grin as he chunked his cigarette out the window.

The got back to Mexico Coty and pulled into the parking spot outside a new apartment building. This was their headquaters. Sands sat there a moment, thinking about the paqst six months. He was still in the CIA's employ, but occasionally took an odd job, running a mercenary team that suited his abilities.

He had five mercs under him. Sarah was still playing baby sitter, keeping an eye on him and Cerise for the CIA. Sands had chosen her to be his information officer as she'd always been, but she served her other purpose regardless of what Sands had her doing. She'd found love again in the arms of the Maraichi, much to Sands distaste, but if she was happy, he'd keep his mouth shut. They'd picked Letty, Scarlet Blaze, up from the Farm, a student who wanted MORE then what the CIA was offering and Sands had found real potential in her. He couldn't resist putting her on his team. Ryan had come from some windowless basement CIA gadget room, to be part of the team and they'd found Luke and Logan on the streets of New Orleans. The twins were nothing more then thieves but even Sands had a use for them and they made more money then they would have pawning off stolen items.

As for Cerise, despite the fact that she was still on the CIA's payroll, Doddson had seen to it she could live as a civilian when she wasn't working at Sands' side. She was back in the states in Texas, in the town Sands had grown up, from the time being, teaching a kindergarten class. And his daughter was about to turn a healthy four. It had been a few months since they'd been together, but he'd change that, right after he sent his report to D.C. He was flying back to the states tonight, to pick up his wife and daughter. God, how he'd missed his family! Even if it was just a couple months.

He got out of the SUV and led the way into the building. They boarded the elevator and Sands pushed the button for floor three while Logan pulled the gate closed.

"I'd say... All and all it was a good day." Logan said with a nod. Sands smirked. The twins had guts some times.

"Tell me something," Sands said, tilting his head back as if to look at them. "You two graduate highschool?"

Luke and Logan looked at each other, before grinning. "High school hell cats!" They answered together. Sands laughed out right as the elevator came to a stop. He doubted to many others would get the joke.

"Why?" Luke asked as they left the elevator, curious to know. The twins couldn't lie, they enjoyed wokring for Sands, but the man puzzled them sometimes. He was a true contradiction, an enigma.

"Just wondering. You two amaze me sometimes. Had to know where those smarts came from." Sands replied, teasing them.

Luke flipped him off and Sands heard Logan slap his brother upside the head. Sands just kept walking, smirking and taking the key from his pocket, unlocking the door.

The first room looked like an ordinary living room. But Sands turned to another closed door as the twins went towards a kitchen. Pushing the door open, Sands walked down the hall. What would have been the main hall for floor three, had had the walls knocked out and others added to connect all the apartments, so it was in reality now, one big apartment and command center. Most could to the other apartments by the way the twins had gone, but to get to Sands' apartment you had to go this way, through Sarah's apartment which was still connected to the original main hall.

He walked towards the study of the first apartment and knocked on the door frame as he heard the furious typing of a key board.

"What's up Jeff?" Sarah asked as she stopped typing, turning her chair to look at her good friend. She'd been typing out a report on Sands to sent back to Doddson when he'd interrupted.

Sands tossed her the mini video camera and Sarah caught it, turning to hook it up to the computer. Ryan had rigged it up for Sands and his operations, he recorded everything, brought it back and if it was for the CIA, Sarah sent it their way.

Sarah hooked it up and began playing it back. Sands listed with a half grin to the play back of what happened.

"Jeff..." Sarah said in THAT tone. "Did you have to make it a wet job?"

"They started it." Sands replied in his defense as if he were a child.

Sarah sighed. He was right this time, they had started it. "All right, I'll send it off to HQ."

"Thank sugarbutt, I'll see you in two days." Sands replied turning from the door way.

"Give Cee a hug for me." Sarah called after him. Sands gestured her off. He headed down the hall to the end and unlocked the door that stood there.

This was his apartment. He kept it locked off the from the rest. It was connected to the main apartment via Sarah's.

Sands had chosen this one, because the layout shadowed his apartment in D.C and he and Sarah had spent to days moving the furniture around to match the old apartment to the tinniest detail. There was even a balcony off the bed room that over looked the complex's pool. It made it easier for him to move around and he didn't need the use of his cane. Occasionally, he bumped into things in the other apartments which annoyed him to the greatest and usually the person responsible(the twins) got an ear full for moving it.

Closing the door, he dropped his keys on the table next to it and headed towards the kitchen. Out of instinct, he turned on the light and frowned darkly at himself for doing so. Slapping the light off, he headed over to the fridge, running a hand over the counter. He heard the pawing of a large dog and waited for Martitus to come over. He rubbed his head against Sands' hand, and Sands scratched him behind the ears, as he opened the fridge and took out a bottle of water, unscrewing the top. Taking a long drink, he walked back to the start of the kitchen, Martitius following and his fingers sought out one of the two phones he kept in his apartment, hitting the play button on his answering machine.

"Sands, not here, leave a message." He listened to the play back of his own message. Short and sweet. He grinned slightly and listened on.

"Daddy!" Laughter followed it, a woman's musical laughter that started his heart beating faster and his grin grew large and goofy.

"Obviously," That sweet British voice said, "We called at a wrong time. Sorry missed you darling. Wanted to call and wish you a happy birthday."

"Happy Birdday!" Lily added. Cerise laughed again on the message.

"Well, there you go. Can't wait to see you again, we love you. Say bye bye Lily."

"Bye Bye!" He could imagine Lily waving good bye as the message shut off.

Sands contined to grin as he left the ktichen. Messages and phone calls like that, had been the only thing that made the last few months bearable for him. He let the messages contine to play as he wnet into the bedroom, grabbing his bag from by the door and zipping it shut, pausing to remember if he'd forgotton to pack anything.

But he stopped, another message came to the answering machine.

"Hey, Jeff, laddy."

He knew that voice. He knew it all to well and a mixture of feelings began bubbling inside of him. "Son of a bitch!" He left his bag where it was and headed back towards the ktichen, cutting through the second door from the hall.

"I suppose you're wondering how I got this number, or prehaps you're REALLY wondering, HOW I could be alive... Well I am. And here's a secret I didn't get to tell you on our last converging. I'm working with our good man Monterio. The point of this call is to inform you, that we're gunnin' for ya friend. Hope you've made your peace with the Devil, cause you have SO pissed off Mr. Monterio. Oh and _I owe you!"_ There was venom in those last words.

Sands screamed in rage and grabbed the bottle of water from the counter, sending it crashing into the wall. Martitus stood beside Sands, growling dangerously, a red Doberman on the edge of attack with a command from his master, Sands. Sands was seething in anger, his breathing heavy, his heart pounding in his ears. He was so sure that the bastard was dead. He was so ready to put it all behind him, and give up searching for Monterio. Now this. This was not happening! This COULD not be happening! Not now!

He mind whirled, he felt light headed and his breathing was heavy. He didn't need this right now! He clutched the counter trying to stop the room from spinning. He should have killed the bastard! He should have KILLED him! He was stupid enough to leave him alive and now it was going to cost him!

Sands fumbled but grabbed the tape from the player and stormed out of his partment, slamming his door open and striding down the hall to Sarah's.

"What?" She asked timidly, having heard the slam of the door and upon seeing the scowl on his face. Sands threw the tape at her. Sarah managed to catch and blinked, but put the tape in the player, playing back both messages. She gapsed at the second message.

"He's alive!" She nearly cried, looking up at Sands, but almost regretted it. Sands was standing in her door way, the darkest look she'd ever seen, on his face, anger radiating from him.

**"Find him!"** Sands ordered. "Pull out all the stops, I don't care what has to be done, I wanna know where that son of a bitch is, 'casue _I'm going to put him in his grave!"_ Sands hissed in that soft, calm and dangerous voice.

"I'll get right on it."Sarah answered softly.

"Yer gonna be late for your plane!" Logan called from the other hall.

"I'm comin'!" Sands shouted back angrily. He turned back to Sarah and pointed a finger at her. "Do it Sarah! I don't care HOW, but find that mother fucker! And not a word to the others, yet!"

"Right, get going Jeff!" Sarah said, already typing away.

Sands went back to his apartment and found his bag, zipping it shut. He started for the door, with Martitus on his heels. Then he stopped at the door and turned his head in the dog's direction.

Martitus, a red Doberman, the Emperor's Breed as they were called, had been with Sands for the last three and a half years. And from time to time, Sands took him with him on an operation, to watch his back. And Martitus did a very good job of it. But he was also Sands' companion and best friend. When Sands couldn't take Martitus with him, he had his very good friend, Rick Blaine look after him. But this time, he'd moved Martitus down to Mexico with him. And now he'd decided to take him with him back to the states. Since losing his eyes, Martitus had taken his job at watching Sands' back even more seriously.

Sands grabbed the leather leash from the table by the door and patted his thigh. "Come." He told Martitus. And Martitus, who obeyed only Sands' one word commands, came trotting over. Sands attatched the leash opened the door. "Lily'll be happy to see you." Sands told the dog, and wasn't surprised to feel the tail wagging happily. Sands grinned slightly, taking Martitus down to the car.


	2. Home Again

Author's note: This story has chosen to come out a bit darker then the other one. But I promise it'll be worth it. :)

Thanks to my lovely reviewers! I'm very glad to know you're enjoying this one. Dawnie-7: ;) how'd ya guess? ;)

Thanks to Scarlett Burns for keeping me going on this one.

* * *

The privet jet, flown by Luke, landed around six that evening.Martitus took the flight well, laying in the back seat. It wasn't all that great for Sands, to be back in the town he grow up in, with his mother. Too many memories chruning in his mind, but he chalked up. Cerise had moved her to be closer to Mexico, which was better then having to fly back to D. C. He'd had rather had Cerise and Lily with him in Mexico, but they'd both come to an agreement that they didn't want Lily around his work, yet. 

Luke loaded the bags into the car, Sands lit a cigarette, leaning against the passenger's door holding on to Martitus' leash, as the dog sat next to Sands motionless..

"Where to first, boss?" Luke asked as he came around the car.

Sands handed him a slip of paper and took the length of Martitus' leash, tighter around his hand.. Luke looked at the address, raising an eyebrow. "I wanna pick up my daughter first."

"Right..." Luke replied, opening the passenger door.

Sands shot him a dark look.

"Habit..." Luke said in a sing song voice as he dodged around the front of the car to the driver's door.

"Habit my ass!" Sands replied as he got in, Martitus between his feet on the floor.

"Sorry, Jeff, it's just..."

"Drop it!" Sands ordered and Luke snapped his mouth shut.

They pulled out of the airport and onto the high way. Luke glanced at Sands after a length of silence. "All right boss?"

Sands shifted restlessly. "This is where I grew up." He said in a tone that simple meant not to push it.

But Luke never knew when to quit. "So what's Cerise doin' here?"

"She likes the scenery!" Sands said sarcastically, shooting Luke a glare. Luke grimaced at the tone and look and fell silent again.

* * *

When the reached the address Sands had given Luke, he pulled to a stop, staring at the yard. "There's an old lady and a little girl in the yard." He informed Sands as he'd done some many times. 

"What color is the little girl's hair?" Sands asked straightening up in his seat.

"Dark brown," Luke answered.

"That's my baby!" Sands grinned and undid his seat belt. Luke shut off the engine and waited.

The old lady on the pourch stood up from the steps and watched the man get out of the car with the large dog. The little girl stopped too, and her face lit up brightly. "Daddy!" She ran towards the fence. "Marty!" She called to the dog as well, who answered with a friendly bark and wagging his tail furiously. Mrs. Brown smiled slightly, watching as Sands opened the gate and leaned down, catching Lily as she threw her arms around him.

"Hello baby." Sands smiled, hugging the little girl, just holding her for a moment. Lily leaned foward and kissed him on the nose.

"I misse you!" She hugged him tighter.

"Missed you too baby." Sands replied as he heard Mrs. Brown coming over.

"Mr. Sands."

"Mrs. Brown." Sands said with a nod. "When was Cerise supposed to be here?" Sands asked her.

"In about an hour. Will you be taking Lily?"

"Yeah, when Cerise comes by, just tell her I was here."

"All right," Mrs. Brown said with a nod. Sands said good day to her as she handed Lily's bag to him. With that, Sands carried Lily back to the car.

* * *

Luke dropped them off at the apartment. "I'll be at the hotel." He told Sands as Sands undid Lily's belt. "Right." Sands answered, holding up his cellphone for a moment, to assure Luke silently, that he'd call if he needed him. Then he headed into the apartment building, holding Lily's hand as she took lead down the hall, holding Martitus' leash in her small hand, to Cerise's apartment. He slipped the spare key into the lock after feeling it out and opened the door. 

Lily ran over to the couch as Sands shut and locked the door again. After that incident in his apartment that got Lily kidnapped, he hardly ever left the door unlocked if it was just the two of them. It wasn't that he didn't doubt he could stop anyone who wasn't supposed to from coming in, but it gave him a little more sucurity, for Lily's sake. Besides, with Martitus there, they wouldn't stand a chance if Sands couldn't get to them first.

Lily climbed up to stand on the couch as Sands came over. "Daddy here?" She asked, looking up at him, asking if he was staying a while. "Course I am Lily Bug." Sands replied grinning. He slipped down on couch with her, fighting to shove the message he'd received earlier that day out of his head.

If the bastard wanted fight, Sands would give him one. But this time, he'd make sure his baby girl was out of the way and couldnt' be used as a bargaining chip. Lily giggled and crawled onto Sands' lap. Sands rwapped an arm around her, holding her. "Have you been behaving?" He asked her. She nodded furiously, Sands grinned, feeling the action. "I may just have to ask your mother about that."

Lilty scrambled off his lap and grabbed his hand, pulling him off the couch as well. Sands sighed and shook his head slightly. "Come play!" She said giddily, pulling Sands downt he hall towards her room. Martitus trotted down the hall behind them When they arrived, she began pulling out her dolls and plopped down on the floor. She looked up at Sands expectedly, and Sands sighed again, before sitting down on the floor, crosslegged in front of her, having Lily thrust a barbi doll in his hand.

_Why not? Might as well. _So they began playing with Lily's dolls. Martitus lay down in the doorway, watching over them.

* * *

Cerise pulled up to Mrs. Brown's house and looked at the yard a moment in silence. Things just weren't the same with Sheldon in Mexico. But at least, NOW, he knew about Cerise and Lily. She sighed and got out, starting up the walk. Mrs. Brown appeared on the front porch, wiping her hands on her apron. 

"Ah, Cerise dear, there you are."

"Yes, it was bit of a long day." Cerise answered with a tired smile "Teacher's meeting and all. Is Lily ready to go?"

Mrs. Brown chuckled at this. "You may want to go straight home."

"Why?" Cerise asked slowly, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, I'm not sure if he intended on it being a surprise or not, but your husband was here, and he picked Lily up."

"Sheldon was here?" Cerise asked in surprise. Mrs. Brown nodded. "Lily was quiet happy to see him. Attacked him before he was half way through the gate."

Cerise laughed softly. "I wouldn't doubt that. Well if he's in town, I probably wont be bringing Lily for a couple of days." Cerise said. Mrs. Brown smiled knowingly.

"As it should be. Go on, get home and spend time with that handsome husband of yours." Cerise laughed, waving goodbye.

"Thank you Mrs. Brown, good day."

* * *

Cerise unlocked the door of her apartment and slipped in, looking around. Lily's toy bag was sitting by the couch. Cerise locked the door behind her and cocked her head to the side, looking around the living room. Then she heard laughter from Lily's bedroom. She headed that way. "And how do you do?" She heard a mock aristocratic voice ask. "No no, tea first!" The voice continued. Cerise wasn't sure she was going to be ready for this, but she turned into Lily's door way and stopped. Martitus looked up at her, standing, and Cerise scratched him behind the ears. 

Sands was sitting on the floor among Lily's dolls. Lily was settled on his lap and the two were playing with her barbis. Lily and Sands both had on one of Lily's dress up hats. Cerise leaned against the door frame, laughing out loud. "Mummy!" Lily scrambled off Sands' lap, dropping her doll and running to her mother. Cerise bent down and picked Lily up, looking up at Sands who was climbing to his own feet.

"Well Sheldon, this is quiet a surprise." She said.

"What, me or the hat?" He asked with a crooked grin.

"The hat." Cerise said with a nod.

"Oh I like it." Sands said, still grinnning. "According to Lily, it's very fetaching." He added, coming towards her. Cerise reached out with one hand and grabbed the front collar of his shirt, pulling him closer.

"Oh yes, very fetching, though it's a spring hat and this is summer." She replied before kissing him. Sands wrapped his arms around Cerise's waist, drawing her closer and kissing her back. He pulledo ff the hat with one hand, nuzzling her neck.

"Well I'll just have to get me a summer on, now wont I?"

"We'll go shopping for that later." Cerise replied with a grin. Sands laughed softly, kissing Lily on the top of the head.

The three of them were seated around the diner table, Martitus had quietly laid down in the living room, next to the couch and was sleeping.. "Lily darling, don't play with your food." Cerise told her daughter as Lily stirred it around with her fork. Sands picked at his, his mind on Mexico and the phone message and Cerise could see he was distracted. "So what has you so silent, Sheldon?" She asked, sitting her glass of tea down.

Sands sat down the fork, across the edge of his plate to his left and slowly reached for his glass, letting his finger tips run over the table top until he found it. "Just thinking." She answered, picking up the glass.

"You're such a liar, Shelly." Cerise replied, rolling her eyes.

Sands took a drink and replied. "Am not. I've just got a lot of on my mind right now, sweets." He sat the glass down slowly, closer to him this time.

"Like what?" Cerise asked, leaning over to wipe Lily's mouth off.

"Work." Sands answered shortly.

"You forget Sheldon, you can still tell ME about what's going on. I'm still in ther employ or Doddson's anyway." Cerise sighed.

"Well technically it could be said you work for me," Sands said with a cocky girn. "But yeah, oaky, Doddson's employ."

Cerise kicked him under the table, playfully.

"Ow?"

"I'll make sure it hurts later." Cerise retorted,

"Promise?" Sands asked raising an eyebrown amusingly.

Cerise laughed softly. "But seriously Sheldon, what's on your mind?"

Sands was silent a moment, considering how to tell her about the message. "Cherry, honey, I'll tell you after Lily's put to bed."

Cerise watched him a moment, then nodded. "All right, Sheldon." She got up, starting to clear away the dishes. Lily scrambled out of her seat and grabbed Sands' hand again, dragging him off to the living room.

* * *

Cerise watched the door of the kitchen as Sands played with lily on the floor of the living room. She stopped, laying the rag on the sink and going to the ktichen door. She couldn't think of another time when he looked so happy, the smile on his face geuine joy. He was laying on his back, with Lily straddling his chest, and playing paddy cake with her. He was a natural at this and it was clear to anyone, that he loved his daughter very much. Just as he loved Cerise very much. She looked down at her own left hand and at the silver wedding band with the emerald engagment ring. She could see the light reflecting off the silver band on his hand. When they'd gotten back to the states, after saving Lily from Dupre, they'd made it a point of doing things properly. _

* * *

_

_Sands moved around the small room to the right of the sanctuary. Sammy was sitting in a chair near by, watching as he fastened his cufflinks. _

"_Damn Jeff, nervous or something?" _

_Sands stopped pacing and popped his knuckles. "No, restless and fucking uncomfortable in this tuxedo!" _

_Sammy got up, making his way over to Sands and turned him to face him, tying up the bow tie. "Just remember who you're doing this for Jeffrey." Sammy said softly. _

"_How could I forget." Sands replied, but there was a bitter tone behind the words. A regret that he wouldn't even be able to see her in that gown. _

_Sammy had agreed to be Sands' best man, althoug htere really wasn't much asking whenn it had come down to it. All Sands had asked after telling Sammy that they were going to do a proper wedding, was yes or no. Now that all the business with Dupre was over, Sands was struggling to adjust to life with out being able to see. And it wasn't easy for him. _

_There was a knock on the door and Mac came in. "Sammy, can you give us a moment?" She asked. Sands and Mackinzie Harly had hardly spoken since Mexico and she wanted to make amends. _

_Sammy felt Sands tense, but what could he say. "I'll be outside, seeing to the guests." Sammy said, heading for the door. _

_Sands felt out on the table by the window and found his cigarettes, taking one from the pack and lightening it, waiting for Mac to speak first. Mac sighed. They were both stubborn creatures and they both knew it. _

"_All right Jeff. This is it. I'm very sorry for what happened in Mexico. And I'm very sorry I cuoldn't have warned you about Rick." _

_Sands took a long drag, considering her tone. "Tell me something, Mac, were you sleeping with both of them?" Mac and Sammy had revealed to the group of the affair that had been going on for a few years after Sammy had split from Sarah the last time. _

_Mac sighed. "Considerign my role in everything, using sex to get information. There was no emotions invovled when it came to Rick. I lost my love for him a long time ago." Mac said, looking out the window. "But Sammy and I deemed it best for you and for Cerise and Lily, if I continued to play the part. That had been the only way I knew Rick was going to gun Sammy down. That had been the only way I had been able to switch the bullets." Mac told him. _

"_And I suppose I should be grateful?" Sands asked calmly. _

_Mac came over to the table to stand next to him. "I'm not asking you to be grateful. I'm telling you, I'm sorry for the deception and I'm asking you to consider not ending our friendship." _

_Sands faced her, exhaling the smoke slowly into her face. "I've been deceived by everyone around me. I was deceived by my own team, people I've worked with for years. It's hard to give forgiveness for that, Harly." _

_Mac sighed. "I know Jeff. But please remember, what we did, we were protecting you." We all care a great deal about you, even if you are an arrogant bastard." _

_Sands smirked slightly. She laid something down on the table near his hand. And started for the door. _

"_Just remember Jeff. You'll always have your team on your side." _

_With that, she left the room. Sands lowered his head, as if looking at the object, Mac had put on the table and he picked it up in the hand that held the cigarette, the fingers of the other hand, tracing over the face. He couldn't keep himself from laughing out loud. It was a catholic medallion for Saint Geniuses, the patron saint of actor. He hadn't seen one in years, let alone own one. He didn't even have any idea where his Saint Christopher medal was. _

"_After all, Jeff." Her voice came from just the other side of the door, but it sounded as if she were still next to him. "Aren't we all actors in this great game?" He heard the doro close and her footsteps falling away. _

"_More then you know, babe." He muttered. _

_He was pocketing the medallion when Sammy came back in. _

"_She wanted to apologize Jeff, she's wanted to for a long time." Sammy said softly. _

"_She did." Sands answered, snubbing out his cigarette. _

"_And?" _

"_I guess I have to forgive her, now don't I? Doesn't mean I'll forget." Sands replied, turning his head in Sammy's direction as if looking at him. _

_Sammy smiled slightly. "It's about time. We should go take our places." He told Sands. _

"_Just a sec." Sands reached into his other pocket and took the small silver cross out, undoing the clasp and slipping it around his neck, fastening the clasp. He didn't tuck it in this time. _

"_I didn't think you believed in God..." Sammy said softly. _

"_I don't. The cross was given to me by Cerise. Befoer the alley way." Sammy said nothing more but led Sands out of the room and over to the alter. _

_The wedding march played, sounding deafening in Sands ears. Sarah came frist, she was dressed in a lavender gown and shot Sammy a grin as she took her place. "Daddy!" Sands heard Lily cry out as she came down the isle with a basket of rose peddles, speading them. _

"_She's going to be as beautiful as her mother." Sammy muttered to Sands and Sands grinned. Then the doors opened a second time and Sands heard Sammy's gasp. But the knife twisted even more in Sands' heart. _

"_How does she look?" He muttered to the other man. Sammy laid a hand on Sands' shoulder. _

"_You're very own angel."_

_Cerise followed her daughter up the isle, escorted by Cam. She'd asked him out of friendship and Eric Cameron was happy to accept. Cerise looked directly at Sands. How handsome he looked. How much more in love she was with him at that moment, but even her eyes reflected his sandness of not being able to see any of this. She regretted the entire big affair and had begged Sands not to go through with this kind of wedding. She would have much prefered it to be a very small affair. But Sands had insisted on it, for her. For her dreams as a little girl of a beautiful wedding to a man who loved her more then anything. So now here they were._

_They stopped at the alter, and she kissed Cam on the cheek, hugging him. Then she passed her bouquet to Sarah. Lily held on to the hem of Cerise's gown, looking back and forth between Sands and Cerise. _

_The preacher came forward. "We are gathered here today, to join these two souls in holy matrimony. If either of you have a reason, why you should not be wed, speak now." _

_Cerise faced Sands and couldn't help but grin herself at his own devious grin, they knew plenty of reasons, but neither said anything. _

"_If there are any with in this room, who believe these two should not be jointed, speak now or forever hold your peace." _

_Sammy coughed humorously, but Sands slid his jacket slightly back and Sarah was surprised to see the 9 mm under his shoulder. Cerise on the other hand, shook her head._

"_Very well." The minister said. "Join hands." _

_Sands took Cerise's hand, turning to face the minister. _

"_Do you, Sheldon Jeffrey Sands, take Cerise Evelyn Stone as your lawfully wedded wife, to love, honor and cherish, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, till death do you part." _

"_I do." Sands answered with out hesitation. They had, after all, doen this before. This just made it official._

"_Do you, Cerise Evelyn Stone, take Sheldon Jeffrey Sands, as your lawfully wedded husband, to love, honor and cherish, in sinckenss and in health, for richer or poorer, till death do you par?" The minister looked at Cerise. _

_Cerise looked at Sands, smiling. "I do." _

"_Do you have the rings." Sammy stepped forward with a small box. _

"_Least you didn't lose them." Sands hissed. Sammy just grinned. _

"_The ring is a symbol of undying love and devotion." The minister explained. He handed the first ring to Sands. "When giving Cerise this ring, you pledge enntirely your love and devotion. Do you do so freely?" _

"_I do." Sands answered, slipping the ring on Cerise's finger. _

_The minister handed Cerise the other ring. "When giving Sheldon this ring, you pledge entirely, your love and devotion. Do you do so freely." _

"_I do." Cerise answered softly, slipping the ring on Sands' finger. _

"_Then, by the power invested in me, by the state and church, I pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride." Sands took Cerise by the waist, pulling her close and kissing her deeply. "Ladies and gentlemennt, Mr. And Mrs. Sands." The minister announced when they pulled back from the kiss. Sands just grinned at her. _

* * *

"Lily Bug." Cerise called softly as she came out of the kitchen. "It's time for your bath and then bed." Lily pouted and looked at Sands. Sands put his hands under his head, laying there on the floor with Lily sitting on top of him. 

"Don't look at me, sweets." Sands said. "Listen to your momma." Lily pouted more, but crawled off Sands, heading down towards the bathroom. Sands continued to lay where he was, put propped himself up on his elbows. He turned his head in Cerise's direction as she came towards him.

"Just gonna lay there?" She asked.

"Maybe." Sands replied, smirking.

"I see." She started past him, when he grabbed her leg, jerking and pulling her down on the floor beside him. He rolled over on his side, holding her by the waist with onne arm.

She blew her hair out of her face and looked at him. "That was unnecessary. If you wanted me on the floor, all you had to do was ask." She replied

Sands continud to grin, but he kissed her in his only reply. He moved his kisses to her neck and Cerise ran her fingers through his hair, but spoke. "Sheldon, I've got to see to Lily..."

"I know..." He whispered, kissing her ear. She stifled her giggling and pushed him away gently. "Shelly, please, later?" Sands sighed in mock disdain.

"Alright." He let her go.

Cerise kissed him quickly as she got up. "I'm coming Lily." She replied to the little girl's call. Sands sat up, leaningn against the coffee table, listening to Lily laughing from the bathroom, the sound of water runing. Gettting to his feet, he grabed his cigarettes from the coffee table and made his way down the hall. He leaned on the door frame of the bathroom.

Cerise turned off the water as Lily splashed, laughing. She looked over at Sands, who leaned against the frame, nonchalantly, taking a drag from his cigarette. Cerise smiled slightly, before Lily demanded her attention.

Sands stood there, listening to the laughter of his daugher and his wife. It was suddenly to much for him and he pulled away from the door. "I'll be in the bedroom." He muttered, with out even looking at Cerise. He left the room and headed down the hall. He suddenly felt very hollow and dead. Martitus had sensed a change in his master and followed him down the hall to the bedroom.

He pulled out his cellphone as he leaned against the window frame, pushing the window open with one hand, feeling the warm night breeze. He hit the speed dial, dialing Sarah's number and waited. But after seven rings he got no answer. Swearing, he hung up, but held the phone at his side. He rested his forehead against the wood with a sigh. He was hoping to talk to Sarah and see if she'd found anything. But obviously she had her phone off, probably out with El.

He didn't regret coming back, he just had no idea it was going to be this hard, this time around. He heard soft footsteps coming down the hall.

"Lily's in bed." Cerise said softly. Sands didn't reply. Cerise sighed and came over, wrapping her arms around his shoulders from behind. Sands raised a hand, resting it on one of her arms.

"Now will you tell me, what's bothering you?" She asked softly. Sands leaned his head against the wood.

"Like I said, Cherry, work."

"What about work?" Cerise asked softly, resting her cheek on his shoulder.

"It's just stressful. Doddson has me on a wild goose chase." Sands lied to her.

"Hmm...Anything I can help with?" She asked softly, having a feeling Sands was lying to her.

"Not at the moment, but I'll let you know, eh?" Sands tossed her a grin over his shoulder.

"Alright..." She replied softly. "Come to bed?"


	3. More LiesThe Family

Author's Note: Now we're gonna get a tab bit complicated. If you've got questions, feel free to ask them in your reviews and I'll answer them. :)

Thanks to Scarlett Burns for the use of Eric Cameron and for keeping me on this. :)

**Thank you! To all my readers! I couldn't keep this up with out you girls!**

* * *

"What cha doin?" Logan asked, spinning Sarah's other office chair and straddling it, as she typed away at the computer. 

"Routine checks." Sarah answered.

Logan took a sip of his coke and set the can on the desk next to him. "Mhmm, sure ya are." He reached over with his foot and shoved the door closed. Sarah slowed her typing. "Listen Sarah," Logan said softly, leaning on the back of the chair. "I heard the message."

Sarah stopped typing all at once and looked at Logan. "What message..." She asked slowly.

"Dupre..." Logan answed, turning his eyes from the poster on her wall to look at her. Sarah was surprised to see the hidden firmness in his nearly black eyes. She was spellbond. Logan held her gaze for a long time, his hand inching over to the key board.

Before she stop him, he pulled up what she was doing, his eyes scanning the page quickly. "Logan!" Sarah cried in dismay, shoving Logan away. Logan grinned at her as he leaned back.

"What about the message!" She demanded.

"Just what I came to talk to you about." Logan said casually. "Sarah, sweetheart, do you think you're the only one Doddson has down here watching Jeff?"

Sarah glared at him. "Logan Shields, cut the cryptic shit and tell me what the fuck you know!" She hissed.

"Everything." Logan said, grinning underhandedly at her. "Define EVERYTHING!" She snapped. Logan sighed, digging out a pack of camels and offered her one. Sarah waved him off, still eyeing him. "Let me start at the beginning."

"That would be nice." She rolled her eyes. Logan ignored her. "Doddson approached me three months ago. We talked, he...hired me to be his personal eyes and ears around here."

"What the fuck?" Sarah was pissed. "Did he think I was lying to him?"

"No, but he knows how much sway Jeff has over you, to keep certain things out of the way... So he wanted an unprejudiced witness, you could say. I agreed. He gave me the back ground on the whole deal, what happened to Jeff, Rick Dupre, all of it. Just enough to get the job done, mind you." Logan said, lighting the cigarette.

"So if you're an unprejudiced witness, what are you telling me all this for?" Sarah asked, turning her chair to face him.

Logan snapped the lid of his zippo closed and looked up at her as he stuck it in his pocket, taking the cigarette from his mouth after a long drag. "I need information and you ARE our information officer."

"Our! You're nothing but a thief..." She trailed off.

Logan was giving her an even more devious grin. "Ah...that's where you're dead wrong sweetcheeks. Luke and I both attened the FBI's training academy. We're fully trained agents, on loan to Doddson. Do you THINK it was...coincidence we were where we were when Jeff met us?"

"You sneaky son of a bitch!" Sarah glared.

Logan nodded, taking another drag. "That I am, Sarah, that I am...Luke's not that far behind either. Anyway. Direct orders here... I'm to look into the whole Dupre matter and...well information not privy for outside ears." Logan winked.

Sarah's fingers curled around her paper back book and she flung it at Logan. "Jeff is going to kill you and me and Luke if he finds out and he WILL find out!"

"I know." Logan said simply.

"I'm leaving in the morning for Prague." Logan said, getting up. "I'd suggest, for the good of this team and your career, if you don't go telling everyone." He headed for the door.

Sarah stared at him. Now she realized what she thought of him. The son of a bitch had the air of Sands written all of him. Logan stopped at the doorway and looked at her. Sarah found her voice.

"If you get to Dupre before Jeff..."She didn't finish.

"Who said anything about getting to Dupre first." Logan asked, grinning again. He tossed her a wink and imitated shooting her. "Later Sizzle. Tell Eric I said Hi."

She watched him leave the room and listened to his footsteps going down the hall. More lies! More secrets! When was it all going to end! Someone was going to have a nervous breakdown before this was all over and Sarah had a sickening feeling, that it would be Sands first, before her. She let her forehead hit the edge of desk hard. "Ow..." She muttered, rubbing her forehead as she raised her head, glaring at the computer screen.

* * *

Luke watched the apartment building from behind the windshield of the rental car as he drew a drag of his cigarette. He picked up his coffee from the cup holder and took a sip, flipping his ashes off the window. He glanced at his watch before hitting the button on a micro recorder. "Time, 12:02 am. All's quiet, no one's approached or left. Shield Two out." He turned the recorder off and settled back in his seat, drawing another drag. 

He was just starting to doze when his cellphone rang. "Fuck!" He fumbled around for it in the other seat and read the caller id. It was Eric Cameron. Luke slipped the hands free cord into the phone as he answered. "Yo."

"How's it lookin'?" Cam asked.

"Quiet and clear and dead boring. You know how much I despise stake outs."

Cam chuckled. "Damn, must be something wrong with Jeff if it's quiet and calm."

"Probably in there fucking his wife..." Luke muttered. Cam attempted to ignore the remark for a moment, then replied.

"Uh, hello, married, he has a right."

"Yeah yeah, I know. It's just fucking boring here and if he calls..."

"If you said it was calm, he probably wont call tonight." Cam interrupted.

"Let's hope."

"I'm sure you'll come up with SOMETHING to tell him if he does." Cam muttered. "Logan's on his way to Prague to check some leads. Just take it easy and contact me if anything happens."

"Right oh, general." Luke muttered sarcastically, hanging up on Cam.

* * *

**Earlier The Morning Sands Went Home...**

As morning dawned, the man entered the Catholic church in down town Detroit and headed down the isle. There were a few people inside, a morning mass in procession. The man removed his sunglasses and slipped behind one pew with a man in a well tailored pinstripe suit. The man was kneeling, his hands folded in prayer, his head down.

The man who had come in, slipped down on to kneel next to the other, lowering his head as well, hands resting infront of him. Tom Carmichael eyed the people around him, before lowering their gray gaze to the cherry wood of the bench. Beside him, the man uttered the last sentence of a prayer before speaking to Tom. "All right, Carmichael, I'll admit, this is an unusual surprise..." Antony Kilpatrick said in a soft voice.

Tom grinned, chuckling as the priest came towards them followed by an alter boy who held a platter. Tom raised his head as the priest blessed him and slipped the waffer into his mouth. He waited until the priest had done the same to Antony, before moving off to the other people.

"Well it's kinda hard for me to walk around these days on the street all the time, when most everyone thinks I'm dead." Tom replied softly.

Antony snorted, lowering his head again. "So what do I owe the honor of this...visit."

Tom sighed. "We need to talk...about your brother. Some place we can go with out being bothered."

Antony got up with out a word, knelt in the isle and crossed himself, then headed towards the back of the church. Tom got up and followed him. They climbed the stairs to a balcony and slipped into the back seats.

"Now, what about **Sheldon**." Antony asked, watching Tom. Tom sighed, running a hand through is graying hair and looked at his long time friend and the eldest brother of the young man Tom had trained to replace him as the best damned assassin, the CIA had ever had.

"Jeff's in a bit of a spot." Tom said softly. Antony eyed him.

"What do you mean, a bit of a spot!" Antony hissed. When it came to Sheldon, Antony was fiercely protective. It went back to the night Sheldon was born. Antony was ten years Sheldon's senior and had been the closetest thing Sheldon had to a father, when their dad was to busy to be with the kids.

Tom leaned forward, clasping his hands before him. "**Sheldon Jeffrey Sands** has gotten himself into some real trouble." Tom said, and proceeded to tell Antony everything he knew. Which was a lot, for a dead man.

* * *

**That Night.**

Antony dropped his keys on his desk and flopped down in his chair with a tired sigh. He wasn't sure if it was still shock he was in, after what he'd learned that afternoon from Carmichael, or something else. But he felt like he was at a lose. For the seven years, Antony had been the head of his family, his father having died. And for eighteen years, he had no contact with his baby brother, Sheldon Jeffrey Sands Kilpatrick.

Antony frowned deeply. When the fuck had Sheldon dropped his last name, to use his second middle name for his sure name. The boy couldn't be THAT ashamed of his family. Their father, Michael Kilpatrick had taught him better then that.

Antony steepled his fingers before him, elbows resting on his desk. His hazel eyes fell on the picture on the corner and with a sigh, he dropped his arms, reaching over and picking up the picture. He sat back in his chair, studying the photograph. It was a family portrait. Nothing showy, just a family. Taken the last year Sheldon was with them, before he left for the Air Force, in the back yard of the family house. Their father, Michael, was sitting in a lawn chair in the center, his red hair more gray then anything, but his green eyes steely and the sight of power still visable. To his right, next to the chair, stood Antony, and on their father's left, the young woman waved at the camera. That was their sister, Moria. To her left was another young man, flipping the camera off, his red hair longer then Antony's. Danny hated getting his picture taken and it showed. But on Antony's right stood the brother, Antony was closetest too, and it showed. Antony's arm was drapped around the eighteen year's shoulders and he had his arm around Antony's shoulder, although, he was also flipping off the camera. Sheldon grinned cockily through the photograph and Antony sighed, before he sat the frame down.

So his baby brother had gone on to work for the State Department had he? Wasn't a total disgrace, although, Danny would probably disagree. "He's living in El Paso, right now." Tom had told him. Texas...where their mother had taken Sheldon when he was only four, where he lived with her for eleven years. And now he needed help.

Well if it was one thing Antony had learned while in the business he was in, and his business was a danngerous business, it was that family meant everything. When one of your own needed help, you dropped what ever you were doing and went to their side. Because in the mob, life was very precious.

Antony picked up the phone, calling the air port. If he left now, he could be back in Detroit by Monday morning, to take care of any business. He got a first class ticket to El Paso and left his study, to pack. If his wife, Antia asked, it was just business.

* * *

**Saturday Morning.**

Sands rolled over and literally rolled out of bed. He hit the floor with a thud and swore, sitting up slowly. He felt soft trickles of hair hitting his arm and fingers on his cheek.

"Alright?" Cerise asked softly.

"Other then the RUDE awakening...yeah." Sands managed a grin as he rubbed his shoulder. Cerise chuckled, watching him.

Sands sat up on his knees, leaning on the bed, wrapping his arms around her waist. He kissed her neck, breathing in her scent. She squirmed a bit, running the fingers of one hand through his hair.

"I don't know if I can handle this much longer." She said softly.

He raised his head. "Handle what?"

"All the time apart..." She replied.

Sands sighed. "Cerise, baby, you know I wouldn't do this to you, if I didn't think you couldn't handle it."

"I know...but come on, Sheldon... Three months is a little to long..."

"You're the one who wanted OUT..." He replied, giving her a pointed look. "Now you've got to deal like a civilian wife. You're damn lucky, I'm not still in the Air Force."

Cerise frowned, cocking her head to the side a bit. "I didn't know you were in the Air Force."

Sands gave her a cocky grin. "How else do you think I got into the CIA. I don't know about Britain, but in America, you have to go through at least four years of armed servus before you can work in Clandistened Operations."

"How long?" She asked him.

"Four and a half years. Joined after I graduated." Sands was choosing his words carefully. There was still so much she didn't know about his past, and he wanted to keep it that way.

"What did your parents think?" She asked him. Sands was silent. "Sheldon..."

"They didn't give a fuck, all right, they had more important things to do." He snapped harshly. Cerise grimaced. She knew she'd hit a nerve, asking about his parents. She didn't say anything more.

"Just don't worry about it anymore, alright." Sands muttered when she was silent for a long moment. He kissed her forehead, running his fingers through her hair.

"What am I going to do with you, Sheldon?" She asked with a sigh, kissing him lightly.

"Love me?" He asked with a grin.

"Do I have a choice?"

"Nope." He kissed her back, more deeply.

He heard the door creak open, then little footsteps. A moment later, a pressure hit the bed and Sands sat back.

"I'm up!" Lily beamed.

"So you are." Cerise replied, wrapping her arms around her daughter. Sands leaned forward grinning, and wrapped his arms around both his wife and his daughter, receiving a kiss on the nose from Lily.

"Don't you know you're supposed to sleep in on a saturday?" He asked Lily. She shook her head. "Well you are." He said with a grin and raising his eyebrow amusingly.

"She's always up early." Cerise said laughing softly.

"Then she takes after you, not me." Sands replied, climbing onto the bed. He leaned against the headboard, his arms around Cerise. Lily settled down on her mother's lap, grabbing the remote control for the tv off the bedside table and finding the cartoons. Sands had missed this. At this moment, this was all he wanted. Grabbing his pack of cigarettes from beside the alarm clock, he lit one and leaned back, listening to his daughter laughing at Bugs Bunny. He grinned despite himself and put last night out of his mind. How he could have regretted coming here last night, was behind him, because he'd missed his wife and daughter with all his heart.


	4. Lessons in Family

Author's Note: Long Chapter. More answers. Yes, Sands family is in the mob business... Also, side note, the family, his family, is Irish decent. That's all I'm saying about that. As for the twins...tee hee, you're just going to have to wait and see.

Thanks you to my loyal readers, you girls make this worth it! Thanks to Scarlett Burns for the ideas.

* * *

Cerise had left to go to the elementry school, Sands had assured her, he and Lily would be fine. They were playing on the floor of the living room, a Disney movie in the VCR and dolls thrown all over the floor infront of them, when the knock came. Martitus was laying on the floor near them and raised his head. Sands gave the door an irritated look and got to his feet. Lily continued to play with her dolls as Sands went over to answer the door. His hand was reaching into the drawer of the table next to the door. He'd put an automatic in the drawer the night before. 

Unlocking the door, he cracked it. "Hello Laddy." A voice out of Sands' past said softly. For a long moment, Sands just gaped, his mouth opened slightly as if to reply. Not in a thousand years did he ever expect to hear that voice, especially at his apartment door in Texas. Then Sands came to his senses.

He slammed the door with a loud crack. Now he was in a bad mood. He moved back towards the couch, digging his cigarettes out and lighting one. He heard Lily continuing to play with her dolls and flopped down. Martitus had raised himself to sat next to the couch watching the door.

However, the man at the door, didn't give up. A moment later, Sands heard the door open and the man entered the apartment. Sands opened fire, shooting the space behind the man.

"Jesus fucking hell, Sheldon, put, that god damned thing up!" Antony snapped angrily, eyeing Sands.

"You weren't invited in, Antony!" Sands snapped back at his brother.

"So I noticed." Antony replied back.

"What the fuck are you doing here, and what the fuck do you want!" Sands demanded.

Antony glared at his baby brother. "I came to talk to you, Laddy." He used the nickname, only their father and Antony used for him.

"Don't. Fuckin'. Call me that." Sands replied, enunciating every word. Lily had been sitting there, wide eyed, clutching her doll, since the shot had went off. Martitus moved himself to sat next to Lily, growling.

"Fine, _Sands._" Antony hissed the word sarcastically.

"I don't REALLY have anything I want to talk to you about, so if you'll LEAVE now, I think we'll both be happy." Sands added, resting the 9 against his thigh.

"Yeah well, I do." Antony replied.

"Like what?" Sands replied sarcastically.

The newspaper hit him in the face. Sands hand went to his sunglasses, involuntarily. "Tell me what the headlines say." Antony said a dangerous tone. Sands grabbed the newspaper as he got to his feet and he chunked it back at Antony.

"Go to hell!" Sands spit back.

"Then Carmichael was right." Antony said simply.

"What? What the fuck are you talking about!" Sands demanded.

"Tom Carmichael came to see me, yesterday morning. He told me some very interesting things."

"Tom Carmichael is DEAD!" Sands replied in that soft and dangerous tone he used when he was really angry. But Antony wasn't shaken by the tone, he was to used to it, as he spoke the same way when he was really pissed.

"Then it must have been his ghost." Antony replied.

"GET OUT!" Sands hissed. "NOW!"

Antony stood there for a long moment, then sighed. "Fine, what ever, Sheldon. I can see we're not going to get anywhere right now. But family, this family, doesn't turn it's back on one of it's own. So goodbye. For now." Antony turned and headed for the door. He yanked it open and was stopped. Cerise had just had her hand on the knob. She looked up with a gasp and stared at Antony for a long moment. "Excuse me." Antony said with an annoyed tone, side stepping her and heading down the hall.

Cerise stood in the door way of the apartment, staring after Antony with wide eyes. When he was gone, she turned back into the apartment and shut the door. Sands was sitting on the edge of the couch, smoking a fresh cigarette, the 9 mm on the table infront of him. Lily was now sitting between the coffee table and the couch, staring back and forth between Cerise and Sands, Martitus still sitting near her at full attention.

"What the fuck!" Cerise demanded. "What the HELL was that man doing here! Do you have any idea who that was!"

"I know PERFECTLY well who that was, Cerise!" Sands snapped. "And he wasn't doin' anything here!"

"Bullshit!" Cerise snapped. "Antony Kilpatrick, a don of the Mafia, doesn't just come around to use the phone cause he's broke down somewhere! Where the fuck did you meet him?" She demanded.

"Drop it, Cerise." Sands replied dangerously.

"Drop it! DROP it? The man was in my apartment!'

"I said drop it!" He nearly shouted, getting to his feet. He started past her.

"Fuck you, Sheldon, I'm not going to just drop it! In case you forgot, Lily was in the same room!"

"I'm warning you, right now, Cerise, DROP IT! Don't get involved in things you don't understand!" He hissed, for the first time, in a long time, using that soft dangerous tone with her.

She glared at him. But it was his tone, more then anything that made her back down, for now. She turned from him and stormed into the kitchen. Sands flopped back down on the couch. She had no idea what she was asking. No idea of what was going on.

His cellphone rang and Sands picked it up off the coffee table, answering it with one word. "What!" He could hear Cerise slamming the cabinets shut as she put up the dishes, in the kitchen, letting him know she was angry.

"I just thought I'd tell you," Antony's voice answered him. How the fuck had he gotten the number! "That I'll be at the Marriot until tomorrow evening, room 1228, if you come to your damned senses and want to talk."

"Fuck you." Sands replied, hanging up. But Antony had been right about something. Family, especially this family, didn't turn it's back on one of their own and Sands just couldn't let it end like this.

Cerise came to the door of the kitchen and leaned on the frame, watching Sands. He was sitting on the edge of the couch, his head hanging, his hands between his knees. "What are you going to do?" She asked softly, asking the very same question in Sands' mind.

Sands was silent for a long moment, then got up. "I'm going out for awhile. Don't wait up, Cerise." He grabbed his jacket and opened the door. One foot out into the hall, he stopped, and turned part way back to her, "And don't worry about it, Cherry." With that, he left the apartment, heading down the hall. He pulled his cellphone out and hit speed dial, calling Luke. "Yeah, get your ruddy ass over here. I've got somewhere I need to be."

* * *

He arrived at the Marriat and told Luke to just drive around, until he called. Going inside, he made his way over to the front desk. "Can I help you, sir?" The woman at the front desk asked. "Yeah, ring room 1228 and tell the man with in, that... Laddy will be waiting in the bar for him." The woman raised an eyebrow, but Sands turned on his heels and headed for the hotel's bar down the hall. 

Antony had just got out of the shower when the room's phone rang. Drying his red hair, he picked it up.

"Yes?" He asked.

"Mr. Kilpatrick, there's a...Laddy waiting in the bar for you." The woman said, having to pause at the name. Antony blinked. So the little bastard had come to his senses, had he.

"All right, Thank you." Antony hung up and turned to getting dressed.

* * *

He found Sands sitting at the farthest back table in the shadows. A shot of tequila with a couple lime wedges infront of him and he was eating something Antony had to raise an eyebrow at. 

"What the fuck are you eating?" Antony asked as he stopped at the table.

Sands didn't raise his head, but he answered. "It's puerco pibil. It is a slow roasted pork, nothing fancy, just happens to be my favorite."

Antony shook his head, as he sat down. "What ever. So..."

"So..." Sands drawled, sitting down his fork. "I'm here."

"I can see that. Do you want to talk now?" Antony asked, waving over the waitress.

"What else do you think I'm doing the fuck here?" Sands answered.

"Watch your language, boy'o." Antony replied hotly, glaring at Sands.

"I'm a fucking adult, I'll talk how ever the fuck I want."

"You're damned lucky, I don't drag you up to my room and wash your fucking mouth out with soap!" Sands stuck his tongue out at Antony. "Bourbon." Antony ordered from the waitress.

"You're damn lucky I didn't seck Martitus on you." Sands muttered

"The Doberman?" Antony asked.

"Right, Martitus. He's very well trained you know, one word from me, and he'd tare the shit out of you."Sands replied. Antony rolled his eyes.

Sands waited until her footsteps fell away, before speaking to Antony. "So what did Carmichael's ghost have to say?"

"He said you were working for the State Department down in Mexico, when you...ran into some trouble with the cartel."

Sands snorted. "Trouble is a fucking understatement."

"He told me, Sheldon, that they blinded you." Antony said softly. Sands gave him an angrily look, but he didn't push this point of the conversation, yet.

"Hasn't the State Department, done anything about it?" Antony asked.

"I don't work for the fucking State Department, Antony."

"Then who the fuck do you work for?" Antony snapped.

"The CIA."

Antony blinked. "The fucking Central Intelligence Agency. Now that's a contradiction if ever I heard one." Antony said finally, rolling his eyes.

"You're tellin' me." Sands muttered.

"So what happened, really?" Antony asked.

"You don't want to know."

"Yes I do."

"Go to hell."

"Fuck you." Antony snapped back.

Sands leaned over the table, close to Antony. "You want to know? You REALLY wanna know!"

"I wouldn't fucking be here, if I didn't Sheldon!" Antony hissed.

Sands reached up and ripped the sunglasses off. He heard the sharp intake of breath from Antony and was somewhat satisfied and at the same time, even more angered. He didn't need this from Antony. Antony stared into the black holes. One hand clenched on his knee, the other clenched the glass so hard, he cracked it. He was enraged, sickened and sad all at the same time.

"Tell me who the fuck did this to you?" He hissed.

Sands sat back, putting the sunglasses back on and grabbed his shot of tequila. He downed it, sitting the glass back down before he spoke. "It's a long fucking story."

"I'm not leaving till tomorrow." Antony answered. Sands sighed. What else did he have to do for the rest of the night?

Sands began telling Antony the particulars of the whole bit, from the operation in Culican,

"You're fucking responsible for that!" Antony interrupted.

"The president's alive, ain't he? Then I did my job." Sands replied, sticking his tongue out at Antony again, before going on to explain about Dupre.

"Okay, wait up, HOLD on." Antony held up his hand. At this point, it was around 11 pm and they'd had their fair share of drinks, Sands more then Antony. "The little girl in the apartment is YOUR daughter, but you didn't find out until about six months ago. Now HOW does that work?"

Sands grinned, lighting a cigarette. "What say you, we get out of this bar and go...somewhere else."

"Fine, we'll go up to my suite, but you're still going to explain." Antony replied, standing.

"Yeah yeah." Sands waved him off, getting up. He followed Antony out of the bar and into the elevator. They were quiet on the way up, but it was a comfortable silence. They both felt as if it hadn't been eighteen years they'd been apart, but only a few days.

* * *

Sands followed Antony into the suite and paused in the doorway. His cane was in his pocket, but he hesitated, not sure rather he wanted to put it out in front of Antony or not. 

"Fuck it." He muttered.

Antony looked back at him as he lit his cigar. "What?" Antony asked.

Sands pulled the aluminum cane from his pocket and extended it. Antony watched him with out a word, moving around the front room of Antony's suite, memorizing the location of everything. "Pour me a drink." Sands said, after he made his way back to the couch a second time, folding the cane and sticking it back in his pocket. He flopped down and lit a cigarette. Antony poured him a drink and brought it over, sitting down in the chair next to the couch. "All right, so explain to me about your daughter. And who was the woman coming into the apartment?"

Sands took a drink. "That woman, is my wife, Cerise."

"She's Lily's mother?"

"Right."

Antony frowned. "If you're married to Lily's mother, how can you only have known Lily's yours for six months...?"

"Cause I've only been married to Cerise for six months." Sands answered, sitting back. "BUT," He went on, before Antony could say anything, "Cerise and I have been lovers for five...partners for seven."

Antony blinked. "You MARRIED your partner!"

Sands gave him a cocky grin. "Wait, hold on, it gets better. She's British. MI-SIX."

"You married your BRITISH partner!"

"Right, six months ago."

Antony shook his head and got up, heading over to the bar. "So then how...where the fuck were you for three years?"

"I was in Mexico. I'll explain, Antony, for those three years, I thought Cerise was dead..." Sands went on to explain about Monterio, the alley way and back to Dupre.

"And I thought Danny was complicated..." Antony muttered after Sands finished. Sands was sprawled out on the couch, with his cigarette.

"How is the old psychopath?" Sands asked.

"Crazier." Antony answered, leaning back in his chair, studying Sands. He'd missed his brother, very much and there was no way he was going to lose contact with him now. "He's married." Antony added. "Expecting his first."

"Oh, I pity the wife." Sands muttered.

Antony chuckled. "Nah, Miranda can handle his ass."

"And Moria?" Sands inquired about his sister.

"She's good, engaged to a good man..."

"Oh we'll see about that. What about you?" Sands turned his face in Antony's direction.

"Married, I've got a daughter, who's six, who's everything to me." Antony watched Sands grin. This was something they had in common and they both knew it.

"So tell me what I can do to help you, Sheldon." Antony asked.

Sands was quiet a moment, then spoke. "Look, I've got...to deal with Dupre, he's still alive..."

"You want help?" Antony asked.

Sands sighed. "I don't know. I just...I'll get back to you on that." Sands muttered, sitting up.

"Alright." Antony said with a sigh, getting up off the chair. "Hold that thought." He muttered, heading towards the bathroom.

Sands sit there for a long moment, the pulled his wallet out, and found a pen on the coffee table. He wrote something on his personal business card and left the card on the couch were he'd been sitting, leaving the room.

"So what the fuck was this about a Marachi band, again?" Antony asked, coming back out. But he stopped. Sands was gone. In his place was a business card. Antony went over and picked the card up. It was Sands personal number and at the bottom in the corner, all though it wasn't as straight as normal, but still pretty good for a blind man, were three letters. ILB. Antony smiled slightly and muttered. "I love you too Brother." He pocketed the card. He'd be using it, a lot.

* * *

Sands arrived home somewhere around two aim and managed to get inside with out to much trouble. Luke had gone back to the hotel he was staying at, asking no questions. Sands dropped his keys on the table by the door and locked the door again. The apartment was silent. He headed back down the hall towards the bed room and heard soft breathing of two people. 

Going over to the bed, he sat down gently. Lily was curled up again Cerise and they were both sleeping. Sands sat there for a long time, thinking about his night with Antony. Now Antony knew everything. He didn't want to lose contact with his brother again, even though it had been Sands fault the first time. But when it came to his career in the CIA, he knew the Company would have been less then happy about his connections to the Kilpatrick family. He also knew now, that at some point soon, he was going to have to decide between his family and his career.

He'd just gotten up to change for bed, when his cellphone rang. "Damn it!" He frowned and grabbed it, stepping out of the room. "Yes?" He asked in an irritated voice.

"Officer Sands." The voice was Doddson's.

"It's it a little late to be calling?" Sands asked.

"Perhaps, but this important." Doddson answered. "Jeff, I need you and your team to head for Prague, Monday morning by the latest."

"Why? I just got home for a few days...can't this wait!"

"No, not really Jeff, this is high priority. I need you to weed out a mole. However, I'm offering an incentive, when you check into D.C before you leave for Prague."

"Doddson, you know I NEVER check in at D.C before I leave for an operation."

"This time, I think you will." Doddson said simply.

"Yeah, why's that?" Sands asked irritable, leaning against wall outside the bed room.

"The incentive." Doddson said.

"What the fuck is it?" Sands asked, tired of the fucking round about.

"Optical implants. It wont be seeing on a normal bases, but you'll be able to see. And I think it help with this operation all the more."

"What do you mean, optical implants?" Sands asked, able to hear his own heart beating loudly. Was it a chance to see and did he really want it now?

"When you get here, Jeff, it'll all be explained to you."

"Fine" Sands grumbled,

"See you in D.C. Tomorrow, shall we say?"

"Yeah, what ever." Sands replied boredly, before hanging up.

He sighed, going back into the bedroom. The job always interrupted when he got time off. But that's how life was in the company and he'd gotten used to it, a long time ago. He pulled off his shirt and tossed it in the corner on the chair he knew as there and sat back down on his side of the bed, putting his cellphone on the bedside table. With another sigh, he lit a cigarette and just sat there.

She spoke after awhile of silence. "What time do you have to leave?"

Sands turned his head in Cerise's direction. She'd been awake since he'd come in. And had heard his side of the conversation with Doddson. "Tomorrow afternoon, at the latest." Sands told her. She sighed. Sands leaned over and kissed her. "Come with me, Cherry. You and Lily both, even to Prague."

Cerise looked at him. "You want us to?" She asked softly.

"Yes, I do." Sands answered. "I may even be able to use your help in the operation, and you know Lily'll be safe between us and the rest of my team." He told her.

"All right, Sheldon, we'll come with you."


	5. A Second Chance

Author's Note: I've tried to explain this as best as I can, about the optical implants. If you're still confused about them, feel free to drop me a line with your questions. However, know this. It is NOT like having a new set of eyes. This is impossible, even with our advanced science. Sands can see now, but he can't. He can shadows, shapes, some colors and muted features. He can see people, but not in complete detail.

Thanks to my wonderful reviewers. You girls keep me going and that's the truth. Thanks to Scarlett Burns for all the ideas as always.

* * *

Logan scurried back from Prague, and followed the rest of the team to D.C the next evening. Doddson briefed them all and after Sarah and the others left, Doddson spoke quietly with Sands and Cerise.

"It can be done tonight, and you'll be set to leave by wensday." He introduced them to a woman who was the doctor to do the operation. She was an young asian woman.

"Trust me, Officer Sands, it's not as complicated as it seems." She said with a smile. They were still sitting in the debrief room. Sands and Cerise were sitting side by side and Lily was sitting on Cerise's lap.

Sands leaned forward on the table and lit a cigarette. "Explain." He said simply.

"They're a tiny computer chip. Almost like a miniature mother board, placed behind the ear. You'll have a special set of sunglasses. Where the sunglasses rest behind your ears, are another set of computer chips, inside the plastic." She explained. "The lenses are a type of video camera. What the lenses see, is relayed back to the computer chips and sent to the chips behind your ear. Those chips are connected to the optical nerves in your brain. Your brain picks up the video feed, so to say and processes it for you, as your eyes would. Granted," She said quickly. "It's not seeing on a normal human spectrum. But you can see, shapes, shadows, colors, outlines, some features."

Sands was quiet. Cerise was watching him closely. Finally Sands asked. "Risks, complications, side effects?"

"The risks are very minim. It's a four hour surgery. We can be done by morning. Complications, very minim, side effects however are minim, but there, serious headaches, migraines, tension. They can be extremely nasty. Also you don't want to get hit to hard in the head. Could shake things lose so to say."

"Well, Jeff...do you want to do it?" Doddson asked after the doctor had finished.

"Give me five minutes with my wife." Sands replied simply.

"Alright." Doddson agreed. He and the doctor slipped out of the room. "We'll be in the hall." Doddson told them, closing the door.

Sands waited a moment, then turned his head towards Cerise. "What do you think?" He asked her softly.

"Shelly, are you sure you want to do this?" She asked him.

Sands shrugged. "What have I got to lose, Cherry? Besides, I wanna be able to see you and Lily. I want to see her grow up."

"I just want you to be sure, luv, that this is what you want." Cerise said softly.

Sands was quiet for a long time, before he replied. "I do want this..." He said softly.

"Alright," She answered. "You know we'll be there every step." Cerise said, taking his hand. Sands smiled slightly, squeezing her hand.

* * *

The doctor, who's name was Washu Lee, made the arrangements at the CIA's hospital. They'd be ready to do the operation in two hours. Sands left Martitus with Rick Blaine before going over to OMS. **"Mind you, Officer Sands, this isn't like screwing in a new pair of eyes like a pair of light bulbs. As I said, you wont see on a normal spectrum, but you'll see."**

"No, I understand." Sands replied softly as they set in the privet hospital room.

"And I imagine, you'll have a hell of a headache when you wake up after the operation, but hey, we got drugs for that." Washu said with a grin.

"Nothing better then good old morphine." Sands replied.

"True." Washu agreed. "I'll go prepare and we'll get this on the ball, okay?"

"Right." Sands answered, listening to Washu leaving the room.

Cerise yawned from her chair. Lily was already fast asleep on her lap. "Well, here goes, right?" Sands muttered.

"Nervous?" Cerise asked softly.

"I don't like hospitals..." Sands replied. "Especially after LAST time..."

Cerise chuckled softly. "If you're lucky, you'll get Kate as your nurse." Sands smirked. "I'm just going to need a lot of sleep tomorrow." Cerise muttered, yawning again.

"Don't worry, I probably will too..." Sands muttered in reply.

"Listen, Shelly, I'm going to run down to the cafeteria and get some coffee. I'm going to leave Lily here since she's sleeping."

"Right." Cerise put Lily in the chair and left the room.

She'd been gone a few minutes when Sands' cellphone rang. Sands dug it out and answered it, knowing he'd probably get an ear full from the nurse, for even having it on. "Hello?"

"Sheldon." Antony answered.

"What's up?" Sheldon asked.

"I was about to ask you the same question." Antony replied.

Sands smirked. "Well, I'm back on the job." Sands said boredly, leaning back.

"Yeah, now what?" Antony asked.

"I'm heading to Prague wensday...I'm just...having surgery in a couple hours before hand." Sands told him, he figured he might as well tell him about the implants, since they BOTH seemed to be trying to recover their relationship.

"For what!" Antony asked surprised.

"Optical Implants." Sands told him softly. "Not that I'll be able to see on a normal specturm as the doc says, but I'll be able to see, known the less." Antony was quiet for a moment.

"Well, that can't be all that bad, can it?" Antony asked.

"No, besides, what have I got to lose?"

"Right," Antony agreed.

Sands was quiet for a long time before he spoke again. "Hey Paddy," He used Antony's nickname. "There's something I want you to do for me..." He'd been thinking about this since the other night.

"Yeah, what's that?"

Sands took a deep breath. "Doctor Guivera's still alive..." He paused for a moment. "I want him, Antony."

Antony heard the seriousness and anger in his brother's voice. He also heard the desperation and pain. Sands hadn't made an effort to mask it from Antony. "I want him to suffer like I did." Sands said, almost in a whisper.

"I'll get him, Laddy. And I'll bring him to you. You be careful in Prague, and let me know when you're back in the states. Anything else you need, you call me, understand."

"Gotcha. Thank you..." Sands said softly, still almost in a whisper.

"Oh, and Sheldon. ILB."

Sands couldn't help but grin. "Right back at cha." They hung up. Sands sighed. God it felt good to hear his voice again. Although, talking with Antony meant eventually, he'd have to talk with Moria and especially Danny and Sands wasn't sure exactly how that'd go. 'One at a time' He reminded himself.

* * *

Cerise came back not long after Sands hung up with Antony. "Get your coffee?" 

"Yeah." Cerise said softly. "Sarah called. She seemed a little upset, although she wouldn't tell me why." Cerise told him.

"Probably El..." Sands replied.

"No, I think it had something to do with the twins..."

"That too." Sands said with a grin.

Washu returned with the other doctor. "All right Officer Sands, it's show time." She said.

"Well, let's get the big dance number over with." Sands replied. He kissed Cerise before settled down on the hospital bed. "Although, I always though these hospital gowns made my ass look big." He muttered after they gave him the anyasistisa. Cerise snorted, but Washu laughed out right as she pushed the gurney from the room. "If it's any consolation, sweets, I think you got a great looking ass." Washu told him. Sands just grinned.

* * *

When Sands woke up, his entire head felt like it was in a vise and a percussion band was playing full volume inside. Gingerly, he raised a hand to his head, feeling the bandages. He strained his hearing for any sound in the room and found none, but a clock and standard monitors. Which was fine with him, because he didn't think he could handle any noise at that moment. 

However, the silence didn't last long. He heard the door open and the brisk footsteps of Doctor Lee. She came over and leaned on the railing, grinning.

"I was wondering when you'd get around to waking up."

Sands turned his head towards her. "How long was I out?"

"Well, the surgery lasted four hours and you were out for another three... So, about seven hours in full. How do you feel?" She asked him.

"Ever been front row at a Nirvana concert, high on speed?" Sands asked her.

Washu laughed softly. "Can't say that I have, but I think I get your point. However, I think we can fix that." She said and Sands felt her take his arm, which he realized still had an iv in it. A moment later he felt the drug entering his veins. "That should help in a bit. Now this evening, Doctor O'Riley and I will be in to get you set up with your new sunglasses."

"Right..." Sands muttered, then frowned. "Where's my wife?"

"No worries, Officer Sands, Cerise went out to breakfast, Lily was being fussy. Don't worry, we've got her on speed dial, should you REALLY need her, but she'll be back soon. You just rest for now." Washu patted him on the shoulder. She turned from the bed and started for the door.

"Hey doc..." Sands stopped her.

"Yeah?"

"Thanks..."

"Sure thing, handsome." Washu replied grinning as she left. Sands grinned himself, letting himself drift back to sleep.

* * *

When he woke again, he heard soft voices in the corner of the room. "Obviously, no one's even READY to go to Prague, and I told them all, if they didn't get ready, Jeff was going to have their skulls." Sarah said softly to Cerise. 

Cerise shook her head as she brushed through Lily's hair, before handing Sarah back her brush and began braiding Lily's hair. "Sheldon'll have more then their skulls, Sarah."

"You don't wanna know what I'd do to them..." Sands muttered from the bed.

Cerise looked over. "Good afternoon, Sheldon." She said with a bit of a humor.

"How do you feel Jeff?" Sarah asked, coming over to the bed.

"Not as bad as when I woke up this morning." Sands muttered, sitting up slowly.

"Daddy..." Lily crawled up on the bed with him, snuggling against him. Sands wrapped his arm around her, kissing the top of her head.

"So what made you decide to do this?" Sarah asked.

Sands gave her a look. "What else did I have to lose, Darcy?" Sarah grimaced and sighed.

"Forget I bloody well asked." She muttered.

"I think I will." Sands replied dryly. He felt Cerise leaning on the bed rail and he took her hand, kissing it.

"So anyway, the team is...getting ready." Sarah said softly.

"They'd best." Sands replied simply.

"You know what, I think I'm going to go make sure they haven't trashed the hotel yet..." Sarah said softly, giving Cerise a look. Cerise chuckled and waved her off.

"We'll see you later Sarah. Go make sure the Twins haven't been arrested,"

Sarah snorted at this. "Later Jeff."

"Sarah." He said in way of reply, listening to her leave.

"Sarah's worried about this operation, but she wont tell me why." Cerise said softly.

Sands frowned, he had a good idea what it was she was worried about it. "I'll talk to her about it later." He said softly, kissing Lily on the top of the head as she snuggled against him.

They were interrupted by Washu. "Evening, Officer Sands, Cerise." Washu said, coming in with another man. "This is Doctor O'Riley, who assisted in the surgery." She introduced them to the man, who nodded. He was holding a small box.

"How are you feeling, Jeff?" Washu asked.

"Much better then this morning." He answered, feeling slightly nervous suddenly. Lily scrambled off the bed and over to her mother's lap as Cerise said down in the chair next to the bed.

"That's good. If you're ready, we'll see how all our work turned out and try on some new raybans while we're at it, eh?"

Sands snorted with a half grin. "Surely the company didn't spend that much money on me?"

"You'd be surprised, Officer Sands." Washu said with the utmost seriousness.

She came over to the bed and with his permission, began undoing the bandages. Once they were off, Washu turned to O'Riley and opened the box, she took out one of three pairs of sunglasses, in different styles, the first ones were very stylish and sleek, more a dress style. "Are you ready for this?" Washu asked softly. "It'll be instantaneously." She added.

"I didn't go through four hours of surgery to back down now, Doctor Lee." Sands said stiffly.

"Alright." Washu said softly. She leaned foward and slipped the sunglasses on, making sure they sat perfectly, the chips connecting.

She'd been right, it was instantaneously, as if he'd just opened his eyes, although, it wasn't full focus and colors were muted, but he saw, shapes, outlines, and even features. It was like looking at the world in black and white, with the contrast toned down and a bit fuzzy, but he was looking at it. He turned his head, mouth open slightly, taking in everything.

He stopped at the chair beside the bed. There looking, back at him, was his wife and daughter. And for the first time, he saw his daughter. She looked so much like her beautiful mother, the only difference was the dark hair he could imagine was the same color as his and her eyes were dark. He looked at Cerise, drinking in her beauty. Her red hair was longer then he remembered and she was wearing it free, Lily was curling a lock around her fingers. Cerise's dark green eyes raised from looking down at Lily, to look at Sands and Sands couldn't help but grin

"Well, Officer Sands?" Washu spoke softly. Sands turned his head back towards the young woman, noting she was Asian. "As I said, it's not exactly, seeing on a normal spectrum, but it's seeing, none the less. Am I right?" She asked softly, leaning on the bed rail.

Sands shook his head, "Yeah, you're right." He muttered softly.

Washu smiled, placing a hand on his arm. "It's surprising, but you'll get used to it. Listen, there's two more sets in this box," She nodded to the white back at the foot of the bed. "And if you break those... Well, we'll have to punish you." She winked. "Anyway, I'll give you all some time alone."

Washu left them alone. As the door closed, Cerise stood, with Lily, coming over to the bed. She sat Lily down next to Sands and leaned over, pushing a lock of hair from his face. Sands looked up at her, just taking in her features. Although it wasn't as defined and as sharp as a normal person could see, he could still see her.

"When was the last time I told you how beautiful you are?" He asked quietly.

She smiled slightly. "It's been a very long time indeed." She replied.

"Well, you're gorgeous, absolutely gorgeous."

"Wha 'bout me?" Lily asked softly, pouting slightly and looking up at Sands.

Sands grinned, wrapping his arms around Lily and pulling her on to his lap. "You, are absolutely angelic!" He told her. Lily giggled, cuddling close to him.


	6. The Plan

Author's Note: I had a lot of fun writing this chapter. ;) This is one of the more interesting teams... Also, we get to meet Danny, Sands second eldest brother, and the one who's probably crazier then Sands... ;)

Thanks to my readers, I'm so glad your enjoying this. and Thanks to Scarlett Burns, as always.

Note of Meaning;- ILB- I love you brother. Sands and his brothers used those three words all their lives with each other.

Disclaimer: I do not own Sheldon Jeffrey Sands, or **Once Upon A Time In Mexico**, they belong to their respected owners and I take no credit for their creations. I just let him come and play, often.

* * *

Sarah returned that night. Washu had said he could leave the hospital the next day, Tuesday. However, she made it clear that once the operation in Prague was over, he was to report back to her.

"From this point on, you can consider me your personal doctor." She said, with a firm look.

"If you say so." Sands replied, with a nod.

Washu gave him a look. "All right, all right, I get it, check in, I know." Sands retorted to the look.

"Good." Washu replied, turning to her clip board.

"So Jeff," Sarah said, leaning on the other side of the bed, on the rail.

"Well, you haven't changed much." Sands replied, looking at her. She gave him a look and flipped him off.

"Been doing that a lot?" He asked her. She opened her mouth to retort, then closed it, just glaring.

"Now listen to me, Officer." Washu got his attention, before she left. "You take care of yourself in Prague." With that, she left.

Sands watched Lily sleeping, curled up next to her mother, in the reclining chair next to the bed. He was sitting on the edge of the bed, watching them both sleep. He was starting to regret asking Cerise to come with him to Prague, but he had to keep reminding himself that she was a fully trained agent and between them, they'd be able to protect Lily. It was just now, that he could see them, he felt so much more protective of them.

He jumped, despite himself, by the soft ringing of his cellphone. Grabbing it off the bedside table, he got up slowly and made his way over to the bathroom. Flipping on the light, he stepped inside, pulling the door slightly.

"Hello?"

"How'd it go?" Antony asked on the other end.

Sands leaned against the counter, thinking on his words carefully. "Paddy, it's like...waking up." He said softly. He heard Antony chuckle.

"Just as long as your happy with your choice, Laddy."

"I am." Sands said softly, smiling despite himself. "So, what's my big brother up to?" Sands asked.

"Well, I wanted to call and see how it all went, mostly. Also, I'm going to go see Danny either tomorrow or Wensday and arrange a little trip to Mexico. Anything I should know?"

Sands rubbed the back of his neck, considering. Finally, he spoke. "Yeah, I got a...friend in Mexico who can help you. I'll give him a call and tell him to meet you." "Where can I find him, Culiacan?" Antony asked.

Sands snorted. "No, you'd best meet him in his home village, Guitar town"

"Where?" Sands gave Antony directions quickly. "And you'd best go alone. I'll tell him to meet you in the old fort. At the top."

"Does your friend have a name?" Antony asked.

"Yeah, they call him El, as in the."

"I know what it means, Sheldon, thank you." Antony said, slightly annoyed. "I do know SOME spanish."

Sands grinned deviously. "Some wont cover your ass, Antony. You'd best be lucky I'm telling you all this now." He heard Antony sigh irritably.

"All right, Laddy."

"Don't worry, he'll be ready to meet you."

"Yeah, but can I expect him to help?" Antony asked.

"He'd best, or else he'll have to deal with me, and he doesn't like to deal with me when I'm angry. Besides, he owes me."

"Right." Antony muttered.

"Hey, trust me on this. Have I ever let you down?" Sands replied.

"We wont go into that, eh?" Antony retorted. Sands scowled. "Listen, just behave yourself, Laddy, and I'll see you when you get back." Antony said softly.

"Yeah," Sands replied with a sigh.

"Take care, Sheldon and ILB."

"You too, Antony, ILB." Sands turned off his cellphone after that and stood there for a long moment, not really thinking of anything. He grinned slightly, thinking about being back in touch with his family. Then he left the bathroom and went over to the chair where his wife and daughter slept. Silently, he bent over and kissed them both on the forehead, before sitting back down on the bed. He stayed awake the rest of the night, thinking about the up coming operation and the briefing Doddson had given them.

Someone in the CIA's headqauters in Prague was giving out information to the enemy and Doddson wanted Sands to find out who it was, why and just what the enemy wanted with the information. It was also his job to execute the executive action if need be, either on the mole or the enemy. But the Prague political world was a delicate web and to pull this all off, he'd have to play two parts, they all would. Sands leaned back against the bed, smiling ruefully. This was the kind of operation he was used to, and in a way, missed.

* * *

Antony hung up the phone and got up from his desk, moving towards the window, looking out at the view for a long moment, his hands in his jean pockets. Sheldon had definitely changed. Some of it was for the better, some of it was for the worst. Antony worried over Sheldon's whole story about Monterio, Cerise and his mental breakdown when he believed she was dead. He worried over this Dupre, if the bastard could kidnap Lily once, what would he do to them, given the chance. Antony didn't want to see that chance coming, but he had the deadening feeling, that Dupre would try something again. 

"So, how's the little bastard?" A voice broke through his thoughts. He turned to look at Danny saunter in and over to his desk. After Antony had gotten back, he sat Danny down and had a talk with his younger brother, telling him the basics about Sheldon.

"He's on another job..." Antony answered, watching Danny.

"Working for the bloody CIA...Dad's rolling over in his grave..." Danny muttered, rolling his eyes.

"No, I think Dad knew." Antony said softly. "How else would he be able to get Tommy to look after Sheldon."

Danny was silent a moment, then spoke. "Can we even really trust him, Antony...I mean, you know the CIA and the FBI have been after us for years..."

"He's your damned brother, Danny!" Antony snapped, giving Danny a hard look. "He's gone by his second middle name, Sands, for years, just to keep the connection for being found out. If Sheldon was out to get us caught, we would have been caught years ago." Danny fell into a silent brooding pout.

Antony came over to the desk and sat down, taking a cigar out. Danny followed his lead, taking out a cigarette. "There's a bit more about Sheldon I need to tell you, Danny."

"Yeah, now what's the little bastard done?" Quietly, Antony told Danny about Brallio and Dr. Guivara and Sheldon's lack of eyes. Danny had been sitting there, flipping open and closed a butterfly knife. When Antony had finished, Danny slammed the knife down into the corner of Antony's desk angrily.

"Where do we find the mother fucker!" Danny growled.

"We're leaving for Mexico in a couple days." Antony said, eyeing the knife disapprovingly. Danny got up, running his hands through his hair and scowling. Antony reached across the desk and yanked the knife out of the wood.

"I'll kill him!" Danny growled.

"Danny Boy, the kill is Sheldon's. But...uh...I don't think it would matter of the good doctor was missing a few fingers...toes...teeth, you know." Antony grinned deviously at Danny, spinning Danny's knife in his hand.

Danny grinned back in equal wicked amusement. "Maybe Sheldon'll let me help in finishing him off." Danny said hopefully. "If you don't mind, Paddy, I think I'll bring Mir to stay with Anita..."

"That's fine." Antony answered, still fingering Danny's butterfly knife.

"Can I have my knife back?" Danny asked, holding out a hand. "No." Antony replied.

Danny raised an eyebrow. "Why? Why not?"

"Because you drove it into MY desk... my knife now." Antony said, standing up, and pocketing the knife.

"Antony..." Danny pouted.

"Nope. You can get yourself another one..."

"That's my knife..." Danny continued to pout.

"I don't care, you shouldn't have embeded it in MY desk." Danny continued to pout as Antony shoved him towards the door. "Go get that beautiful wife of yours and bring her out here. I haven't got to speak with Miranda for awhile." Danny grinned lopsidedly at the mention of his wife. "Later, Antony."

* * *

They were meeting at the hotel, before they headed off to the air port. Sands wanted to debrief his team himself, before they headed for Prague. Sands, carrying Lily, headed down the hall of the hotel, with Cerise by his side. He had a spliting migraine but was doing his best to forget about it, and focus on the job ahead. 

Cerise noted, now that he could see the hall around him, he was much more sure of himself, although before, he was still sure, just more cautious. Having the optical implants was having a small piece of himself back and they both knew it. He'd spent the entire morning, playing with Lily in a new state of energy.

"That's mine, Luke, give it back!" The yell came from inside one of the rooms.

"I just wanna LOOK, Letty!" Luke yelled back at Scarlett 'Letty' Blaze.

"I didn't say you could!" Letty snapped angrily, eyeing the twin. Luke winked at the young woman and held the little black book out of her reach as he went to open it.

But it was yanked out of his hand as Sands came into the room, handing the book back to Letty.

"Thank you Jeff." Letty replied softly. Sands nodded to her, turning to look at Luke.

"Don't start shit this early in the morning, Sheilds."

Luke pouted slightly. "Alright."

"So how'd the surgrey go, Jeff?" Logan asked, coming out into the room to stand next to Luke.

Sands, who had given Lily to her mother, regarded the twins a silent moment as he lit his cigarette, then he replied. "You two are some ugly sons of bitches."

The rest of the team burst out laughing, even Logan had to grin, but Luke pouted and replied. "You ain't that much of a looker either."

Sands just grinned as he took a drag of his cigarette. Luke went off sulking. Letty snickered and grinned at Sands. "Get back here, Luke." Sands said evenly.

"Why, so you can insult me again?"

"No, because I want to have a chat with all of you."

"Oh, here it comes..." Sarah muttered from her corner.

"Here what comes?" Ryan asked.

"The 'TALK' He does this before we ever go in to a big operation, you know the ones that really matter..."

"Oh, yeah... We haven't had any of those yet." Ryan answered, as he tightened the screw on something in his hand. Sarah grinned.

"That's what Jeff lives for you know. And thats why YOU joined the CIA, am I right?" Sarah asked Ryan.

"Actually, I just joined to fuck around with those weapons of MASS destruction, the government's squawking around about, like the hen house of chicken's they are." Sarah snorted, trying not to laugh out loud. Ryan waved the screwdriver a moment in a gesture. "See the way I figure it, if I can get my hands on a few of those, I can really fuck with the Senate's head, you know, be standing in front of one, explaining it to these guys and suddenly! OOPS, I pushed the big red button, everyone run for cover! The look on their faces is gonna be PRICELESS. Give them a few minutes to panic then say. 'GOTCHA!'" Ryan grinned at Sarah. Sarah couldn't help but grin back and shake her head.

"You can fuck aroundn with the WOMs later, Ryan." Sands said from his spot. Ryan just grinned, nodding and went back to what ever little gadget he was working on now. "Alright group, listen up."

"Speak a little louder and maybe we could hear you!" Logan called from near the coffee pot across the room, grinning lopsidedly.

Sands flipped him off, although, they could all see the slight uplift of the corners of his mouth. "Clean out the fucking wax in your ears, cause I'm only going to be saying this ONCE. Where we're going isn't a fucking walk in the park..."

"You know what, you said that when we went to the Caribbean, to bust that drug ring, and damn, I thought it was pretty much heaven, white sand beaches, palm trees, cool drinks with those little umbrella things in them..." Ryan said from his spot.

Sands gave him a look, the cigarette resting losely between his lips. "Yeah well, PRAGUE is fucking COLD!" Sands retorted.

"So what, pack our parkas?" Luke asked.

"Something like that." Sands answered, pulling out a chair at the table and flopping in it. He looked over at Cerise who was playing with Lily in the corner. "Prague is a politcal capital, it's all about politics. And we're gonna have to play both sides if we're going to catch the bastard that's up to no good."

"Oo, does that mean we get to go to fancy partys and stuff?" Letty asked with a grin.

"Probably." Sands answered.

"So we can be like...Mission Impossible and all... Oo fun." She and Sarah giggled at the reference.

"Yeah well, then I wanna be Mr. Philps!" Logan called from his side of the room, where he was leaning against the wall with his cup of coffee.

"You dope!" Sarah replied. "Jeff is Mr. Philps!"

"I wanna be Moneypenny!" Luke called from his spot.

"That's James Bond!" Letty replied, rolling his eyes.

"Then I'll be M!" Luke replied. "All brooding and all!"

"I get to be Q!" Ryan called out.

"Then what am I? Jaws!" Logan replied.

"No, you can be Dr. No." Letty answered him.

Logan grinned deviously. "No, Mr. Bond, I expect you to die... Mawhahaha!" Logan added.

Sands looked over at Cerise, Cerise was looking back at him with her eyebrow arched, amused. "See what I have to put up with?" Sands asked.

"I think I'd rather be Dr. Evil..." Logan said as an after thought, setting his pinky next to his mouth.

"Does that make Jeff, Austin Powers then?" Sarah asked thoughtfully, knowing they were all just doing this to get a rise out of Sands.

"No, you are Sarah, you are British, after all..." Luke pointed out.

Sarah beamed, "Groovy, baby."

Sands drummed his fingers on the table. "Are you all done now? We can play in the Land of Make-believe LATER."

"Yes, Mr. Bond..." Luke muttered, Sands shot him a look. He grinned sheepishly.

"Now as I was saying..." Sands said, sitting forward in his chair, leaning on the table and tapping the ashes off his cigarette in the ash tray. "All arrangements have been made, we'll be stationed in a safe house in the historical district..."

"Did you know, that Prague is the old world capital of mysticism..." Ryan added.

Sands looked at him with a slightly annoyed look.

"Alright, alright, I'll shut it." Ryan muttered.

"Thank you." Sands replied.

"Are we to check in with the Prague HQ or anything?" Sarah asked.

"I will, but they needn't know you all are there." Sands replied. "This has to be lowkey as possible, because if our mole suspects we're there to bust him, or her, they could give us the slip."

"So what's your cover story?" Sarah asked him.

"Routine check in." Sands answered.

Sarah went thoughtful. "We could run into a problem Jeff. Almost everyone knows Doddson has fought and won to keep you employed by the company...they'll know you're there from Doddson..."

"Yeah yeah, they all know I'm Doddson's Doberman. But in this case, I'm in Prague because they wanted me out of the way for awhile, in an area that's relatively safe." Sands answered.

"Safe to who...?" Logan asked. "Cause, you know, where ever you go, there's always a shit load of trouble following you."

"They don't need to know that..." Sands replied back. "We'll establish base, then I want the twins to scrounge around the streets, pick up on all the illegal groups and activitys going on. Sarah, Letty, I want what you girls do best, Inside information."

Letty cracked her knuckles, grinned malevolently.

"What about me?" Ryan asked.

"Do what you do best and turn out some of those nifty little gadgets of yours. This is real spy work, ladies and gentlemen."

"What will you be doing, Jeff?" Logan asked.

"WE will be doing what we do best." Sands looked over at Cerise.

"You mean, Cee's coming with us?" Sarah asked.

"Yep, I sure am. Sheldon asked me to tag along. So in this case, Sheldon and I can play the social scene for information." Cerise answered.

"And Lily?" Sarah asked.

"Well, we figured between the seven of us, she'd be well looked after." Everyone seemed to agree on this. "And if it gets to complicated, Mac and Sammy are on leave, in Paris, they've already said, I can give them a call and they'll come get her." Cerise added.

"Oh, that's good." Sarah said with a nod.

"Any questions?" Sands asked. Everyone shook their heads. "Good, pack up, we leave in three hours."


	7. Prague

Author's Note: So things are about to take a bit of a dramatic turn.

I want to thank all my readers, with a very heart warming thanks. If it wasn't for you girls, I would have given up in the middle of Blood in the Sand. Thank you, SO much!

* * *

The weather in Prague was as cold as Sands predicted it to be and it was gray and raining. Sarah shivered, as she lugged her suit case out of the back of the taxi and looked up at the flat building that was going to be their home until this Operation was over, and who knew how long that could take. It could take a week, a month, or even a year, depending on how careful the mole was being.

But the fact that Doddson had caught wind of the mole now, was a good sign, although, they weren't sure how long that person had been operating, giving out delicate secrets. She looked around the street as the taxi drove off. As agreed, Sarah would arive at the apartment first and secure it. Then slowly, the rest of the team would show up. They'd all taken separate flights, Cerise and Sands flying together. Those two would arrive later tonight.

Turning up the collar of her jacket, she picked up her suit case with one hand and took the key to the door out of her pocket with her other. Most people who lived in this building were employees of the government embassies, American, British, Canadian, Russian, Japanese, French and Spanish. So a few extra people in the pent house suit apartment wasn't going to look unusual. Doddson has already contacted special attaché of the American and British embassies to let them know a few more Company officers were going to be on the premises.

She dragged her suit case inside and started for the elevator. Hitting the button, she stood waiting, glancing around the silent and dark lobby in its old world style and spotted the no smoking signs. Grumbling, she turned back to the elevator, but it didn't seem to be coming. Sarah sighed. Then snorted in silent laughter at the thought that popped in to her head. What was it that Sands was always telling them, had ALWAYS told them, even when it was the other team. _"Never use elevators when you can, they're nothing more then a trap."_ Sarah shook her head and looked around the lobby again.

She saw a tall man with dark blonde hair come out of a door near by that revealed it's self to be a stair case. He was wearing an expensive suit and a power tie, one hand in the pocket of his jacket, the other carrying a brief case.

_Pencil pusher..._ Sarah thought, turning her head away, so the man didn't see her roll her eyes. Between her training and her experience working with Sands, his team and the CIA, she'd despise a desk job. She'd just simply die and she knew that was a fact.

But the man stopped close to her, and Sarah could feel his eyes on her. Finally, she turned her blue gray eyes to regard him again in a neutral gaze. "If you're waiting for the elevator, it's out of order." The man said, with an American accent.

_So he's an AMERICAN penicl pusher. And probably arrogant too... _"Thank you." Sarah said with a meek smile, playing the part of docile Sarah Darcy, once again.

"No problem. New in the building?"

"Yes," She answered, side stepping and hoping to avoid further conversation.

But the man wasn't going to let her. "British Embassy?"

Sarah groaned internally, but turn back to him, the still docile facade apparent. "Yes... I'm an economics analyst." She said softly.

"My name is Harry Sinclair, I'm a national security analyst for the American Embassy." He took the hand from in his jacket pocket and extended it.

Sarah took in the expensive rings, watch and cuff links. _Analyst jobs don't pay THAT well. _But she took his hand. "Sarah Turner." She said, using her alias.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Turner."

Sarah gave her delicate smile.

"Well, I suppose we'll be seeing more of each other, but right now, I've got to get to the office." Mr. Sinclair said, with a charming smile and nodded to the main doors.

"Good day, Mr. Sinclair." Sarah said, turning quickly and going through the door of the stairs. She climbed the five flights quickly and headed down the hall to the pent house's main door, slipping the key in and opening the door.

Closing the door, she looked around the front room of the suit, a number of brand new computers where sitting on tables by the wall. Doddson had spared no expense. She'd spend the rest of the day, setting them up. She turned and went down the hall for the four bedrooms. So the twins would have to share a room and she and Letty could crash together. That would give Ryan a room with all his toys... but what about Sands, Cerise and Lily? Surely there'd be a time when Sands and Cerise would need their privacy... She giggled at the thought and shook her head. If that became a problem she was sure Sands would think of something..."Like the elevator." She muttered out loud, grinning. And if not, she and Letty could take Lily.

She dropped her suit case in a room and went back out through the living room, to the kitchen and looked it over. Someone would have to go grocery shopping, but she figured they had a generous amount for those kind of expenses. It was the ones that involved Sands' OTHER expenses that the Company frowned upon and Sarah had no doubt that Sands would find some of THOSE expenses to spend money on. He always did. She closed the refrigerator's door and went back into the living room and over to the balcony, opening the french doors. She had noted that the master bedroom(the one Sands would no doubt take) had a balcony and french doors as well. It was quiet a large pent house, with more then enough room and three in a half bathrooms(the mater bedroom had it's own very large, master bath).

So there shouldn't be any fussing. Although she knew, that if it got to conspicuous, Sands would have a back up apartment somewhere in the city. He always did. The moment he arrived on location, he went flat shopping. She didn't have any idea where he got the money to do that kind of thing, or where he'd got the money for all his cars. It was rumored, he had a very generous bank account in Zurich, but Sarah had never questioned him about it. It wasn't her place. But if he did, she was quiet sure he had never said anything about it to Cerise.

Sarah sighed and went back into the apartment, and over to the computers, digging out a pack of cigarettes. Lighting one, she turned the computers on and pulled one of the rolling office chairs over and set to work on setting the computers up.

* * *

It was somewhere in the afternoon that the knock came to the door. Getting up as she tapped the ashes off another cigarette, she went over to the door and undid the locks, leaving the chain on. She cracked the door and looked out. Luke and Logan were standing on the thresh hold, grinning at her. 

"So, you two are first to arrive are you?"

"We had a little trouble with security at the airport." Logan answered.

"Why's that?" Sarah asked, closing the door enough to undo the chain and letting them in.

"Luke got into a fight."

"It wasn't MY fault, the guy tripped ME."

Sarah shook her head and went back over to the computers. "You two are going to have to crash together in one of the bedrooms. Master bedroom, off limits."

"Aww, why?" Luke asked.

Sarah gave him a look. "That'll be Jeff's and Cerise's thank you."

"Ah, yeah we kinda FIGURED that." Logan replied, giving her a look.

She listened to the boys going around the apartment, inspecting it. "Nice digs." Luke said, as they came back out and flopped down on the couch.

"Yeah, ain't it." Logan grinned.

"Doddson speared no expense. You should know that by now, Logan." Sarah said, giving the twin, eldest by a few minutes, a piercing look. Logan shrugged.

"Wouldn't know." he said simply. Sarah gave him another looked and turned back to her work.

With in a couple hours Ryan and Letty both arrived. "Jeff and Cerise not here yet?" Ryan asked wondering around the pent house.

"Nope. Their flight didn't get in till about 11 and I imagine Jeff has a couple errands to run." Sarah said, from her spot against the kitchen counter with a cup of coffee.

Letty wandered over to the computers and looked them over. "All set up then, Sarah?" She asked her.

Sarah nodded. "Yep, although they're all password protectedm, so get over here, so I can tell you, your pass word before you can go play around." Letty grinned and came into the kitchen. Letty's expertise was computers and security systems. She could bypass anything.

* * *

Cerise looked down at Lily as the cab pulled away from the airport curb. Lily was curled up between her and Sands and fast asleep. "She's finally asleep." Cerise said softly, looking up at Sands. 

Sands turned his head from the window to look down at Lily then up at Cerise. "Good, it'll make this next part easier."

"What part?" Cerise asked him, eyeing him.

Sands gave her a duplicitous grin. "Just have to pick up a few things."

He leaned over the seat and handed a card to the driver. The man looked at him and started to shake his head no, when Sands slipped him an american hundred. With a toothless grin the man nodded and put the car into gear.

When they stopped, they were parked outside a raving club. "Stay here. I'll be back shortly." Sands told Cerise, starting to get out.

"You know, I HATE it when you do this." She muttered.

Sands leaned over and kissed her quickly, grinning. "Ah, but it makes it so much more interesting, this way." He replied, getting out. Shutting the door he went up to the door, where two door men stood, arms crossed.

"I'm here to see Cyprus." Sands said, hands in his pockets. The black man, tall and muscular, looked at Sands, then stepped to the side.

"Run it through the computer." The man said, revealing a hand scanner.

Sands hesitated, but didn't show the men this. "I see Cyprus has up his security." He said conversationally as he took his hands from his pockets. He put one hand on the scanner, the other taking his pack of cigarettes from his pocket. He pulled one out with his lips and stuck the pack back in his pocket, patting the pockets down for his lighter. With a sigh, he looked at the black man. "Got a light?"

The man took an expensive looking zippo from his own pocket and flipped it open. All the while, the scanner was shifting through names and scans. Sands briefly remembered having Cyprus scan his hand the last time he was in Prague, but Cyprus had never told him why he'd done it. The other man was eyeing Sands suspiciously.

As the black man put his lighter up and Sands took the cigarette out of his mouth, he looked up and down the street. "Been working for Cyprus long?" He asked them both.

The one man didn't answer him, but the black man looked at Sands, with an amused look. "Long enough." He answered. Sands nodded, at that moment, there was an electronic voice, identifying him. "SJS. Top customer."

Sands grinned at the men as he took his hand away from the scanner. "How nice, Cyprus remembered me." The black man chuckled as he opened the door.

"Go right in, sir. And, if you need anything, or any one gives you any trouble, just howler for Brutes."

Sands grinned himself. "Thanks, I'll remember that. Nice to meet you Brutes, I'm SJ Sands." He replied, extending his hand. Brutes took it and shook it in a large firm shake, before Sands headed into the darken building.

If it was one thing about Sands, he knew how to make allies in a short time, as had just been proven, with Brutes the doorman. He'd known Cyprus for years, and knew he'd have what Sands wanted. The club that Cyprus owned was a cyber rave. Full of cyber punks, cyber goths, hackers and what not. And Sands didn't stand out, dressed completely in black, with the black sunglasses.

He went over to the bar, noting the out come of his scan on a screen behind the bar. "I'm looking for Cyprus." He said over the thumping base to the bar tender who'd leaned over to hear him. The man pointed to the back of the club, were a short stair case and a fringed curtian seperated the back rooms from the rest of the club. Sands nodded and headed that way.

Only to be cut off by two more door men. He could see Cyrpus sitting with some people, a girl on his leg, laughing and smoking something.

"Yo, Cyrpus!" He called out, trying to duck under the arms of the door men, but had no luck.

They grabbed his arms, jerking him back. Cyprus didn't even look. "Take him out side." He told the doormen boredly.

"Okay, I see. I know when I'm not wanted." Sands said simply, jerking his arms from the doormen's hold, as they started jerking him away. He dusted himself off and looked back through the fringed curtian. He looked back at the doormen, and grinned.

Cyprus' party was suddenly interrupted as one of his door men came crashing over the chair and on to the table, that was holding everyone's drinks, drugs and ash trays. The woman on Cyrpus' lap screamed and nearly everyone jumped to their seat.

The second door man came scurrying through the curtain, Sands pushing him along, the man's arm jerked behind and high up his back. Sands shoved the man into the table with his friend, who was picking himself off and rubbing off his jaw. Sands stood where he was, just in side the room, loosely, but ready for them to lunge if they did. "This how you treat top clients, Cyprus?" Sands asked the man who was still sitting.

Cyprus was a tall black man, about 6'3, with platinum blonde hair and a chiseled profile. He looked at Sands over the edge of the silver sunglasses and grinned, in an authoritative way.

"What top clients?" He replied, standing from his seat slowly. "I don't know you." He added.

Sands gave him a bored look. "Shall I refresh your memory?" He asked sarcastically as Cyprus moved towards him.

Cyprus grinned more and reached out, grabbing Sands into a quick brotherly hug. "Man, it's been TOO damn long!" He said with a laugh.

Sands grinned as Cyprus let him go. "I'll agree with you there."

"Let's go up to my office." Cyprus said, nodding to a stair case at the back of the room. He turned and headed up, Sands followed him.


	8. New Toys

Author's Note: Almost all the guns mentioned here and in the next chapter are made up. Sorry for the wait, got distracted in November by NaNoWriMo...am back anyway.

Thanks for the great reviews, girls! You keep me going!

* * *

"So what can I do for you, Sands my man?" 

"I need some new toys." Sands replied, fingering a compact dart gun. "Nine millimeter protection, plastic explosives..."

"Working, are we?" Cyprus asked, eyeing Sands.

Sands set the dart gun down and looked up at Cyprus. "Yep."

Cyprus shook his head. "Don't they supply you with weapons, in that CIA of yours?"

"Yeah, but yours are so much more fun." Sands replied with a grin of his own. Cyprus chuckled, and turned, going over to a wall in the white sterile room.

Punching in a key number, the wall slid open, revealing a vast array of arsenal. Sands moved over to the wall, standing opposite of Cyprus. "Take your pick, but I'm warning you, it's all expensive."

"Money's no problem, Cyprus, and you know that."

Cyprus grinned a greedy short of way. "Then might I interest you in a few toys I keep for the big boys."

"I thought I was one of the big boys?" Sands replied with a mock pout.

Cyprus just tossed him a grin as he opened another wall. "Now mind you, these are my babies, and only TOP clients get to see these." He picked up a small square looking handgun. "Take a look at this, this is a K2 Impactor, improved by my hand of course. Great for non-lethal self defense or attacks. Pull the trigger and give 'em a 50,000 volt shock. It'll open their eyes." Cyprus said with a grin, handing the gun to Sands, who turned it over in his hand. "Goes by battery packs."

"Nice. What else ya got?"

Cyprus picked up another very impressive hand gun. "This, is one of my favorites. This is a Scorpion X. Thirty round clips, fully automantic machine pistol. No assault team, or single handed bad ass, such as yourself, should leave home with out."

Sands set the Impactor down and took the Scorpion from Cyprus. "I like." Sands replied with a grin and a nod of approval. He liked the feel of it.

"Then you'll love this." Cyprus said, taking a gun out that looked like a larger version of a desert eagle. "I call this a Boran X. Semiautomatic, extremely powerful. Especially at close rang. Guarantied to knock 'em on their fucking asses." Cyprus said with a wicked grin, handing the weapon to Sands.

Sands studied the weapon a long time, running his fingers over it, caressing it gently. Cyprus stood there grinning, knowing Sands had just fallen in love with the gun. "It's the ONLY one like it. Bit of a prototype, but...uh...I'm willing to leave it in your hands for...say...fifty thousand..." Sands looked up at him for a long moment, his face emotionless. "I'll even through in enough specially created Boran X ammo to get you from now until Christmas, free of charge."

Sands finally answered him. "I'll take it. And the Scorpion. I'll need ammo for that, and some plastic explosives." Sands said, sitting down the Boran on the counter next to him. Cyprus was moving to fill the order, when Sands stopped him with a hand. "I'll also need my rifle." He said softly.

Cyprus looked at him for a long time, a bit wide eyed. "Sands I didn't...I didn't think you'd ever be wanting that back."

Sands shrugged. "Times change. I'm going to need it. Still got it?"

"Of course I do! That was one of my best works." Cyprus replied strongly. "Just let me get the rest of this for you and I'll get it." Cyprus said, taking out a large silver brief case.

He sat the Boran and the Scorpion in their places in the gray foam and put a few dozen boxes of ammo for both in another case. In a smaller case, he put a dozen charges of C4 in. Then looking at Sands, he moved back over to another wall, where a key pad and a hand scanner was. Punching in a number, he put his hand on the scanner.

The wall slid away soundlessly, revealing a long shelf with a long black case on it. Cyprus picked up the case and brought it over to the counter. He spun the two dial locks to the correct codes, 0-6-0-2 and 1-2-2-6, then lifted the lid. What lay in side the nearly black foam, was a specially designed forty five millimeter automatic shot sniper rifle, with a double hair trigger, and laser guided scope.

Cyprus looked at it for a long moment, then up at Sands who was also staring at the rifle. His hand, that rested on the counter next to the case, twitched as if he were hesitating to touching it. "It's all there and in perfect condition." Cyprus said in a near whisper, watching Sands closely. Sands said nothing, but after a long moment, reached over quickly and snapped the lid shut on the case, locking it, making Cyprus jump.

"What do I owe you for the rest?" Sands asked in a completely buisness now.

Cyprus stared at the case with the rifle for a long time, then spoke. "Nothing, Jeff. It's all yours. Just...just tell me how the Boran did, later on," Sands looked at Cyprus a long moment, then nodded. "That's two of my one of a kind weapons you've got, Sands. Treat 'em well, they'll take care of you." Cyprus said, grinning. "And I do mean, one of a kind. I'll never create another Boran or rifle like that, for anyone else. They're yours and yours alone."

Sands was staring at the rifle case, but he nodded. "Thanks, Cyprus. I owe you."

Cyprus laughed heartily. "I'll remember that."

Cyprus helped Sands take the cases down to taxi. Cerise watched wordlessly as they loaded the cases into the trunk.

As Sands slammed the trunk closed, he turned back to Cyprus. "I may have to come back...may need you and your man, Brutes' services later on."

Cyprus nodded. "We'll be here. Take care of yourself Sandman."

Sands grinned crookedly at the nickname. "Later mon ami."

Cyprus chuckled as he watching Sands get into the taxi. As it drove off, Brutes, who was one of Cyprus' best friends, stepped up to Cyprus' side.

"So, who is he really?"

"That," Cyprus answered, "That was **Kid Charlemane**, himself. There is NO other man like him on the face of this earth. Sandman, as we used to call him in the serves." With that, Cyprus turned and went back into the club, leaving Brutes to watch the taxi disappear into the night.

* * *

"THAT'S what you went for?" Cerise asked softly, in regards to the rifle case as Sands got it out of the trunk of the taxi. Cerise was carrying the smaller silver case and a still sleeping Lily. 

"Yep." Sands answered simply, slamming the trunk closed.

"I thought it was...gone."

Sands didn't answer, instead he went back around the car, paying the driver.

As the taxi drove off, he picked up the cases again and started for the door, still not answering Cerise. Cerise sighed and followed him into the building. Rather then take the elevator, they took the stairs up to the penthouse, and Sands pounded on the door.

It was answered a moment later by Logan. "Excuse me, do you have an apointment?" He asked with a sarcastic grin

"Open the damned door." Sands replied. Logan sighed and pulled the door open all the way, letting them in.

Cerise set the smaller case on the table next to the computers and looked at Sarah. "The master bed room is at the end of the hall." Sarah told her, looking from the case Cerise. She gave Cerise a questioning look. Cerise shrugged and nodded to Sands, who was putting his two cases on the dinning room table. Sarah sighed watching him.

Cerise took Lily down the hall to the masterbed room and put her in to bed, covering her up. She turned the small lamp on the bedside table on and looked around the regal bed room. With a sigh, she crossed over to the balcony and stepped out on to it. She could see the lights of the city, new mixed with old.

She heard the bedroom door open a moment later and footsteps coming over to the balcony. Sarah appeared with Letty in the doorway.

"What's up?" Cerise asked Sarah.

"The usual." Sarah said with a shrug, coming out to lean up against the railing. Letty came out and sat in one of the chairs.

"Where did Jeff get it?" Sarah asked softly.

"Get what?"

"The long case...I can only assume it's a gun..."

Cerise grinned slightly in a bitter way. "Yes, it's a gun...it's his sniper rifle..." Sarah blinked, eyes wide.

"You mean the...modified Glob?" Sarah asked. Cerise nodded. "But I...I thought he chunked that thing into the Seine? When we were...in Paris that last time..."

Cerise sighed. "I thought he had too...but apparently not..."

"Well, where did he get it from?" Sarah asked.

Cerise sighed. "From a friend of his down town, he owns a club."

"From Cyprus!" Letty asked, looking up at them with wide eyes.

"You know him?" Cerise asked her.

"Sorta...I mean, I've done business with him before...he's kind of a...information whore...but ontop of that, he designs weapons..."

"Which would be where Jeff got the rifle to begin with." Sarah added.

Cerise shook her head. "We may be married...but there's still shit he keeps from me..."

Sarah smiled a bit. "Come on, Ce, you've got to admit, there are things and PEOPLE, you keep from him...I doubt he knows about Candy, or Lucius. Not to mention. Mimic, Mime and Jedi and Jinx...What about your code name...Discord..."

At the mention of these names, Cerise got a secretive smile. "Sarah, what time is it?"

"About 12:45, why...?"

Cerise eyed both Sarah and Letty. "You girls feel like going out?"

"Now?" Letty asked.

"Best time of the day to see the Fabulous Four." Cerise replied leaning on the railing, comfortably. "How ever, it's strict dress code..."

"I'd never make it through the front door..." Sarah muttered.

"Yes, you will, with my help. Letty, got get yours and Sarah's bags." Letty got up and left the room.

"What are you planning, Cerise?"

"You got me thinking at the mention of the Fab Four... If Sheldon can get some toys, so can I." She stepped away from the railing and grabbed Sarah's sleeve, pulling back into the bedroom.

She went to the door of the room and stuck her head out. "Ryan, can you come here for a minute." She called. She saw Ryan peek around the corner of the hall and nod and a moment later he was coming down the hall to the room.

"What's Sheldon doing?" Cerise asked him, leaning on the frame of the door.

"Going through some wickedly cool looking new toys." Ryan replied.

"Right, do me a favor." Cerise replied.

"Sure."

"Keep an eye on Lily. You don't know where Sarah, Letty and I are going, so if Sheldon asks, just tell him the truth, you don't know and I asked you to keep an eye on Lily. She'll sleep the rest of the night, so."

"Where are you going?" Ryan asked him.

Cerise shook her head, giving him a look. "I just told you, you don't need to know, Ryan."

"Yeah, you should listen more, Ryan." Letty replied, coming back with her and Sarah's bags. Cerise went back into the room with her and shut the door.


	9. New Toys Part 2

Author's Note: This is a rather long chapter, and I'm only really happy with the last half, the argument. And I just realized something rather ironic. This is Sands and Cerise's first argument in this story, yet ironically, chapter 9 in _Blood in the Sand_ contained their first argument for that story... Pay close attention to Cerise's four friends she goes to see, because Jack Ruex will be playing an intrict part. And in case you don't realize it, yes...Jack Ruex is supposed to look just like Johnny Depp... He's an original character for an original series of my stories that's a bit like Tomb Raider.

Thanks again for the great reviews ladies. As I've said, you keep me going. Thanks to Scarlett Burns who as I've said before originally convinced me to do this sequel. Things are about to get interesting. By the way, Dawnie, how'd you know there'd be trouble over the secrets. ;)

* * *

Twenty minutes later, the three girls emerged, dressed for a night on the town. Sarah had on a tan mini skirt and an off the shoulder lace top. She had a pair of calf length boots with four buckles up the side in black. Her long wavy, dirty blonde hair was in a high pony tail. 

Letty followed her out, dressed in a pair of tight hip setting blue jeans and black halter top, with a gold ring at the throat and a pair of black biker boots. Her long medium brown hair was in to braids. They waited in the hall way for

Cerise, who finished pulling her on boots and got up, grabbing her jacket and her purse, stepping into the hall and pulling the door shut some. She had on a pair of side zipped, leather jeans, and a corseted cami in a deep emerald, that brought out the paleness of her skin. Her red hair had been pulled up.

"Ready to go..."

"We're all dead..." Sarah muttered.

Letty shrugged and followed Cerise back down the hall towards the greeting hall. Cerise stopped at the greeting hall and stuck her head around the corner. She could see Sands standing in the kitchen talking with Luke and Logan.

"He's going to hear the door close..." Sarah whispered.

"I know..." Cerise replied, opening the door slowly. They slipped into the hall and Cerise jerked the front door closed with a loud bang.

"You did that on purpose!" Sarah cried.

"Yes I did! RUN!" Cerise cried with a laugh.

Sands head snapped up when he'd heard footsteps in the greeting hall, but when the door slammed he was skirting around Luke and heading for the door. Luke and Logan right behind him, Luke drawing his gun. Sands jerked the door open, to see the three girls running down the hall towards the stairs. All three noticed the girls were dressed in club gear.

"Cerise! What the fuck are you doing?" Sands called after

Cerise looked back as Letty jerked the door to the stairs open. Sarah yelped at Sands's voice and bounded in front of Letty and down the stairs.

"Nothing!" Cerise called back, laughing. "We'll be back later, don't wait up!" She dodged past Letty and down the stairs after Sarah.

Letty gave them a wave and followed, letting out a gleeful cry. They could hear all three girls running down the stairs, their heels echoing.

"What the fuck are they doing!" Logan asked, looking at Sands.

"I haven't the slightest fucking idea..." Sands muttered, before heading back into the apartment.

"Did they tell you anything, Ryan?" Sands questioned him.

Ryan looked up and shrugged. "They said they were going out and if I could keep an eye on Lily..." He grimaced at Sands dark look, the twins winced as Sands swore roughly.

"We could go after them..." Luke suggested.

"To what point and purpose?" Sands asked him.

Luke shrugged. "They probably just needed something to do...you know women..." Logan replied. Sands ignored him, heading down the hall to the master bed room.

* * *

The cab let them off in front of a brightly light club, called the Pink Elephant. "This is it?" Letty asked. 

"Yep. Stay close to me. It's gonna be tight getting in." Cerise replied, grabbing her hand. Letty grabbed Sarah's and Cerise pulled the other two girls behind her, through the crowd, receiving many fowl names from people standing around, waiting to get in. Cerise ignored them as she came out at the front of the line, in front of the door man.

The man held out a hand stopping them. The man next to him had a clip board with a list of names. "Stop there, sweets, this a privat party," The man said with a Russian accent.

"Yes, I know it is, but you'll find my name on the list. On the V.I.P list." Cerise said confidently and Sarah was suddenly reminded of how well Sands could manipulate people. Cerise had picked that skill up well, from him.

The man with the clip board looked up at her. "Name?"

"Discord," Cesrise replied.

The man flipped to the back, for the V.I.P list and scanned it. Then he nodded to the other man. "These two?" The man.

Cerise glanced at Letty and Sarah, who's hands she still held. "These two are with me, and me alone."

The man unclipped the velvet rope and let the three through to the boos and curses of the crowd. "Go right, in Miss Discord." The man with the clip board said.

"Thank you." Cerise replied, laying two hundred dollars in American money on the clip board. "For you and your partner." The men nodded, slipping the money into their pockets casually.

Cerise led the way into the club, that was done up completely in a sickening hot pink, with a large pink elephant statues around the dance floor. She led the way over to the bar.

"What can I get you?" The bar man asked. "Nothing for me, but fix my friends up here with a drink. I'm going up to see Hell Fire Club." She told the bar man, nodding to the door behind the bar.

The man lifted the counter gate and let her in. "Be back soon girls." Cerise told them as another doorman opened the door to the stairs and the bar man turned to them.

"An island breezier," Letty answered.

"Hurrican." Sarah told the man. She didn't know who Cerise was talking about, and the name, Hell Fire Club, worried Sarah, because there was a group known as such, and they were nothing but trouble. She couldn't imagine Cerise dealing with them.

* * *

Cerise climbed the stairs and came to the top with a door and two men in black suits and sunglasses at the top. "I'm here to see the others.." Cerise told them. 

"Do you have an appointment?" One of them asked.

"Not exactly," She replied, one of the men moved to show her back down the stairs, when out of no where, Cerise produced a business card.

"But give this to them, they'll want to see me then." She added. The man eyed her, but took the card. Only one word was typed on it, Discord.

He turned and went into the room, leaving Cerise with the other door man.

"I see they changed the decor down stairs." She said, looking down the stairs. The man said nothing and Cerise shrugged.

A moment later, the first man came back out. "They'll see you." He told Cerise.

"Told ya." Cerise replied with a grin as the man held the door open for her. Cerise went into the large room. A privet party room, completely in black. The only lights, where the black lights all around. It lit her pale skin in a vibrant violet color and caused her engament ring to shimmer.

At the far end of the room, sat four people, two men and two women around a table. One of the men were tapping her card on the table as they watched Cerise cross the room.

To Cerise's right was a large double mirror, allowing the people in the room to look down on the bar and dance floor. She glanced through it, spotting Letty and Sarah at the bar looking around nervously.

The man that was tapping her card, was tall, with black hair, spiked up, that glowed in the black light. He was wearing a dark silk shirt, Cerise wasn't sure what color because of the black lights. He had a handsome face, as did the other man, who was on the other side of the table.

This man, on the other side of the table, was the same height as Sands, and had shaggy dark brown hair, sun bleached, that glowed more fiercely then the other man's hair.. His face was sharp and angular, with high cheek bones, making him look very similar to Sands. He was wearing a white pirate shirt and black jeans.

The two men were brothers, the twins as every one called them, although they were only half brothers.

The two women in the middle masked smirks. The one on the left, next to the man tapping her card, was taller then the other woman, with strawberry blonde hair and a risqué out fit. Tight, low riding leather jeans and a top that was barely there.

The other woman was about the same height as Cerise, with red hair in a long braid and was wearing a halter top style key hole dress.

Cerise grinned at all four and sat down at the table in front of them, crossing her legs and taking a pack of cigarettes out of her purse, with the silver lighter, Sands had given her a long time ago.

No one spoke as she lit her cigarette. Taking a long drawl, she leaned back in the chair. "I must admit, I wasn't ENTIRELY sure you four would be here."

"You got lucky." The man who looked like Sands, replied.

"Well, I've always had good timing...**Jack**." Cerise replied, with a grin.

"Jinx. Here, we're all known by our code name." He corrected her.

Cerise rolled her eyes. "Jinx." She corrected herself with a sarcastic tone.

"What brings you to Prague, Discord?" The woman next to Jinx asked her.

"Business as usual, **Alex**. Excuse me, Jedi." Cerise corrected herself, giving Jedi a grin, which Jedi returned with a secretive grin herself.

"Your visit is, surprising to say the least." The man with her card said.

"You gotta admit, **Shane, **I have a way to make an entrance."

"Mime." The man replied, but was grinning. Cerise couldn't help but grin herself and turned her head to talk to the woman next to Mime.

"**Shaun**, you're looking good as ever...Mimic." The woman next to Mime laughed softly.

"You're lookin' good yourself, Cerise. Oh, pardon me, DISCORD." Mimic said, with the same sarcastic tone Cerise had used with Jinx. It was sarcastic yes, but warm natured, showing that these four people knew Cerise and knew her very well.

Cerise grinned at the four at the table.

"So what can we do for you?" Jinx asked.

"Well, as I said, I'm working... I was wondering if you guys had anything...special, you could...loan me?" Cerise answered, tapping the ashes off her cigarette.

She noticed Jinx eyeing her pack of Luckies and she leaned forward, holding the pack out. Jinx took one and with a quick flick of the wrist, snapped open his zippo and lit it.

"It'll cost ya..." Mime said, in reply to what Cerise had said.

"Meh." Cerise shrugged. "That hasn't been a problem in the past, so I doubt it will now." Cerise said, leaning back again.

The four looked at each other, then Mimic got up, going to the wall behind the table. "Specifications?" She asked, as a small panel opened, revealing a key pad.

"I could use a new Night Eagle." Cerise said with a mischievous grin.

"Whoa...hey now, you LOST the last one in the aqueducts of Rome." Mime said, giving her an accusing look.

"Now come on, Mime, you KNOW that was NOT my fault." Cerise replied in her defense.

"We've only got one Night Eagle left...it'll be expensive." Jinx said.

"What happen to the rest?" Cerise asked.

Jedi grinned. "We're all four are rather found of Mime's little invention, so we have the only others."

Cerise laughed softly and Mime grinned. "I only made six you know."

"Yeah, we've been keeping this one here for you, for a special occasion." Mimic said, coming back over to the table with a small silver brief case. She laid it on the table in front of Cerise.

Cerise leaned forward and set her cigarette in the ashtray on the table and pulled the case closer, tripping the locks. She opened the lid and looked at the gun.

What lay in the foam, was a gorgeous piece of work, a modified Desert Eagle, it could carrier a larger clip and had a much more powerful kick, but it had one hell of a better range on it and was a equipped with a detachable radium scoop, making it able to see with night vision, and pick up inferred bio signatures. Then Cerise noticed the side of the gun, above the hold, at the butt of the gun.

Engraved into the gleaming steel, was a steam of two cherries. One a complete round circle, the other, just half a circle, hidden by the other, with the steam and leaf rising above it. In the full circle was a beautifully engraved C.

"I told you, we were holding it for you." Mime said with a grin.

Cerise's eyes sparkled. "I love it!"

"Anything else?" Mimic asked her.

"Yes, I need two compact weapons for my two friends down in the bar down there." Cerise said, putting the gun back in it's case and nodding to the double mirror.

"The two girls you came in with?" Jinx asked. Cerise nodded.

"Preferably, something powerful, but not overly done." Cerise said.

"I think we've got just the thing." Mimic said, laying two K2-Impactors on the table.

"Wow, Impactors...I've seen the blue prints on these." Cerise said, picking one up.

"Yes, a friend of ours, is to thank for creating them." Mimic told her.

"50,000 volts of electricity. The victim will be unconscious for hours." Mime added.

"Add 'em." Cerise replied nodding her approval, they'd work well for Letty and Sarah. Especially Letty who did not like to kill if it could be avoided.

"Anything else?" Mimic asked once again.

Cerise nodded. "I'm going to need a few gadgets." Her eyes sparkled naughtily.

"Standards?" Jinx asked, getting up and going over to the wall, that was full of weapons and gadgets.

"Yep, preferably, three of everything."

"Wow, you're racking up quiet a bill tonight." Jedi said with a grin. Cerise grinned back.

Mimic and Jinx came back over with a load of objects. Mimic held up what looked like a ball point pen, but Cerise knew what it was.

"Laser lock pick." Mimic said, laying three on the table. All three where gold.

Jinx held up what looked like antique compacts. "Field scanner." He laid three down, putting an envelop with them. "That's got the micro bugs."

Mimic held up a box. "Gas injectors. Knock out gas. Compact, slip them anywhere, even the vents." She put down three boxes of those.

"And of course, her very favorite." Jinx said, holding up what looked like a stick of gum.

"Christmas gum!" Cerise cried with a grin, causing Jedi to laugh. "Left over from Halloween?" Cerise asked Jinx.

"Valentines, actually." He replied with a crooked grin. "You remember, right?"

Cerise nodded. "Red light, green light, eight second fuse. Best not to chew, guaranteed to blow your ass into the New Year!" Cerise replied. Jinx grinned deviously at her as he put three packs on the table.

"I sometimes get the feeling, Mariko's watched Mission Impossible, ONE to many times." Mime said from his spot.

"True, true, but at LEAST, she got it to work in real life." Cerise said. Jedi chuckled.

"Inferred Contacts." Mimic said, putting three boxes down.

"Mini laser refractors." Jinx put three thin jumbo pencil sized objects on the table.

"I think that'll be enough. I'm sure we'll have fun playing with all this." Cerise said, standing from the table.

Jedi laughed softly. "We know you will."

"Now." Mime said, "About the payment."

"I'm all ears." Cerise replied. Mime exchanged a look with the other three.

"Don't worry about payment, Cerise." Jedi who was really Alexandra O'Connell said at last.

Cerise grinned slightly, shaking her head and looked at the group she'd known so long.

"You know how much we all love you." Jinx, known best as Jack Ruex added.

"And how much friends in this business should stick together." Mimic, known to her friends and family out side business as Shaun Karrde said, as she and Jack put all the things into a large brief case.

"And who knows," Mime, aka Shane Li said. "There may come a time, that we'll need your help."

Cerise smiled warmly at them. "You guys are all long time friends, especially Shaun and Alex, and you know, when ever you need help, I'll be there for you. You guys have helped me out of more then one jam, and I owe you my life for that."

They all nodded. "I better get going, I'm keeping the girls waiting and I just got into Prague a little while ago from D.C. I'm exhausted." Cerise said, standing and taking the two cases. Alex and Shaun stood up with her, and both came around the table, hugging Cerise.

"Promise, Cerise you'll stop by the manor next time you're in London." Alex said with a look as she let Cerise go. "You know I will, luv. Take care of yourselves, all of you."

Cerise replied hugging Shaun. Jack and Shane stood and hugged Cerise as well. "And I mean that, stay out of trouble." Alex told Shane pointedly after hugging Jack. She headed back towards the door with the case.

"You too, Cerise, watch your ass out there." Shane called after her.

* * *

Letty and Sarah looked up as Cerise came through the door and out from behind the bar, walking confidently, carrying the two cases. "Let's go, girls." 

"What's all that?" Letty asked, looking at the cases.

Cerise grinned ominously. "OUR new toys." Letty grinned, getting off her stool and she and Sarah followed Cerise back outside.

"Night boys!" Letty called to the door men as she and the other two went back through the crowd to the curb.They grabbed a taxi and went back to the safe house.

* * *

They got back to the safe house and snuck in, to find it all dead quiet. All the guys had gone to bed. Cerise looked around the living room and grabbed all four jackets that belonged to the boys. 

"We'll do this your girls' room." Cerise whispered. Letty and Sarah nodded and followed Cerise down to their room. Sarah shut the door when they were in and Cerise dropped the jackets on the bed and sat down on the floor beside it, cross legged, with the cases.

"So what did you get us?" Letty asked, sitting down on the other side of her. Sarah sat down on the bed on the other side of Cerise and lit a cigarette.

"Some toys from a good good friend of mine and a new Night Eagle." Cerise replied.

Sarah let out a whistle. "I remember when you lost the first one, in Rome...You were out to kill some one for that." Sarah said.

Cerise grinned. "I liked my Night Eagle. But Mime gave me a new one, customized too."

Letty looked at the smaller case. "May I?" She asked Cerise.

Cerise nodded. "Knock yourself out."

Letty opened the case and Sarah leaned over, so they could both look at the gun. "Whoa...gorgeous..." Sarah muttered.

"I love the cherries..." Letty said with a grin.

"Probably Jinx's personal touch." Cerise said, pulling the larger case to her.

Letty closed the lid to the case with the gun as Cerise opened the larger case. Sarah slid off the bed to sat with the girls. Cerise picked up one of the ball point pens.

"This my girls, is a laser lock pick."

"Really?" Sarah said sarcastically.

Cerise just grinned at her. She twisted the butt of the pen, but instead of a pen protruding from the tip, what looked like a sewing needle stuck in back wards, so that the eye was showing, came out. "You press the butt of the pen down now, and a micro laser will cut the lock from the inside."

"Cool." Letty replied with a grin, picking up a second pen.

Cerise picked up one of the compacts and opened them. "This is a field scanner. The micro bugs are in the envelop, and we're going to sew one into each of the boys' coats." Cerise told them.

"How does it work?" Sarah asked. Cerise turned the compact on to the side and pressed her thumb against a seam, triggering a button. Turning it back over, she showed them. The mirror went black and a moment later, a computer tracking screen replaced it, with a little dot in the center blinking.

"God, this is some cool shit." Sarah remarked. Cerise just grinned.

She picked up one of the boxes and opened it, taking out what looked like a tube of lipstick. "These are gas injectors, with knock out gas, twist to activate, can be dropped virtually ANYWHERE, including down vents. One of these has enough gas in it, to fill this entire room, and I'm talking about London Fog style." Cerise told them. Sarah and Letty grinned. She put it back in the box and set it down, picking up a box inferred contacts.

"These contacts, will allow you to see hidden lasers and bio heat signatures." Cerise said. "It'll be very strange at first, but they really work, and work good. If you're wearing them when you go out on the street, wear sunglasses, because they'll discolor your eyes."

"Right." Letty and Sarah nodded.

Cerise took the laser refractors out. Twisting the bottom, she raised a clear tube, the same height as the case it was in. "This is going to refract the beam of the laser, so one can get through, with out setting off any alarms."

"And finally, I know you've both seen the movie Mission Impossible. Remember the gum."

"Oh yeah." Letty replied with a grin.

Cerise held up one of the packs. "This is the real shit. Enough explosives to do some SERIOUS fucking damage. Red to green. An eight second fuse, DO NOT CHEW. It'll blow your ass into next year, other wise."

"I can't believe it!" Letty took a stick, unwrapping it carefully. "Someone ACTUALLY made it!"

Cerise grinned slightly as Letty wrapped the stick back up, putting it in the pack. "My friend who did all of these is a genius and that's speaking lightly of her."

"So we each get one of everything?" Sarah asked.

"It'll all be in this case, in my room, if and when the time comes." Cerise said with a nod.

"Too cool..." Letty muttered.

"Let's get those tracking devises in." Cerise ordered. Sarah got up and went over to her bag, getting her sewing kit. And the girls set to work, taking the lining out of the backs of the jackets and putting in the tracking devises.

* * *

She dropped the jackets back in the greeting hall and headed towards the master bedroom. There was no light on, not that she expected there to be. Sands was stretched out on the bed, Lily curled up beside him. 

She spotted the cases he'd gotten that night, in the corner and took hers into the bath room, pulling the door behind her, but not closing it all the way.

She sat the cases on the counter and opened the larger one, taking out a lock pick, a pack of gum and a contact case out, sticking them in her purse. She took one of the compact trackers out and unscrewed the bottom. Mariko had shown her a long time ago how to set one and she quickly set it to the tracker she'd put in Sands jacket, only. She had the feeling she'd want to keep a close eye on him. Sticking that in her purse, she closed the case and looked around.

She spotted the closet for linens and took the case over, stashing it on a top shelf. She'd just crossed back over to the counter and started to open the case with the Night Eagle, when she heard a noise in the bedroom.

Quiickly, she looked, but didn't see anything. Silently she reprimanded herself for being so jumpy. She stared at the case for a long moment again, and then started to open it once more.

This time, he spoke before she could get the lid up. "Where did you go, Cerise?"

Cerise spun and found Sands standing in the door of the bathroom, leaning against the frame, with a cigarette.

Cerise breathed deeply, getting over her fright, and looked at Sands for a long time. "I went to see some friends of mine," she answered.

"Oh, I figured that," He said in a tone, flicking the ashes off the cigarette, not looking at her.

"Then why did you ask?" She replied.

He raised his head in her direction, "I want to know why." He answered.

"To acquire a few things. You're not the only one with connections, Sheldon." She replied simply.

Sands set the cigarette between his lips and came over to the counter, pulling the case around from behind her. She watched with unease. He ran his fingers over the gun, an unreadable look on his face.

"Nice." He remarked after a moment, shutting the case.

He turned to the side, leaning his hip against the counter, taking the cigarette from his lips and regarded her. "Next time, you tell me where you're going, do you understand." He said with a tone of command.

She blinked, looking at him "Is that an order?" She asked in a soft voice.

"What do you think?" Sands replied, taking a drag from his cigarette.

"I'm afraid, you don't have the jurisdiction to give me orders." She replied, still in a soft voice.

Tension crackled in the air suddenly, and they both felt it. They stood there, next to the counter, facing eachother, the air seeming to get heavier.

Sands broke the silence. "That's where you're wrong, _Officer_ Stone," He emphasized the word Officer. "I have the rank and command to give you an order like that. And I will, if I feel your actions are endangering this team." He took another drag, then added in a softer tone. "Or our daughter's life."

The tension broke, the crack reverberated off the walls. Sands staggered back a couple of steps, staring at her. Cerise stood her ground, breathing hard, her chest heaving. "Don't you EVER." She sneered

Sands struggled to find his voice and keep his anger down, but had no such luck. "This isn't a fucking game, Cerise! Anyone could have seen you out there!" And he was right, any one could have, including Dupre. And he'd yet to tell her about Dupre still being alive.

"So it comes back to this, does it!" She retorted. "You have NEVER believed I was capable of doing my job. You have ALWAYS made it out to be that I'm far to naive and helpless. And I know I have NEVER stood as an equal in your eyes!" She snarled.

"What the fuck! When have I EVER said anything like that!" Sands snapped back.

"You haven't had to, Sands. I've been able to read you like a book."

"Is that so?" Sands sneered back, he wasn't taken back by her use of his surname, though he knew when she used it, it was bad between them. "If that was so, sweet cheeks, you'd know I have NEVER thought of you as anything LESS then an equal!"

"Your argument is non-plausible." She replied flatly.

"Get off of it woman! You wouldn't be here, if I didn't think you capable of a clandestine operation!"

"You don't know what the fuck your talking about, do you!" Cerise demanded hotly.

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" Sands flung his cigarette butt in the sink angrily.

"First, you accuse me of endangering our daughter's life, then you say I am CAPABLE of a CO! Try to make a little more sense, Sands!"

"Okay, first of all, wench! I never SAID, you were endangering her life, did I say the words, YOU-ARE-ENDANGER-OUR-DAUGHTER'S-LIFE! No I don't think I did..."

"You gave me a direct order to inform you where I go, every time I leave this safe house, because you felt that I was ENDANGERING the team and our daughter's life! And don't fucking tell me, you didn't give me the order!" She cut in before he could continue.

"Now you're fucking twisting the god damned words around!" He snapped back.

"No, I'm not! I don't think you know what the bloody hell you're talking about!" She spat back.

"I know PERFECTLY well what I'm talking about, and I'll have your ass restricted to this safe house if I feel the need!"

She shoved him back hard, he stumbled into the wall next to the door, which he reached over and jerked closed, hard with a snap.

"YOU wanted ME here, remember!" She spit at him. "I didn't BEG to come and I would have just been as happy to remain in D.C."

"You know where the door is, don't let it hit you in the ass on the way out!" He responded wrathfully.

"That's it, Sands, I'm gone!" She snapped angrily and moved to shove past him. He moved to grab her arm, to stop her from leaving the bathroom.

"This isn't over..." He was stopped, as she slapped him a second time, her hand connecting with his face, in the same spot as before, which was still tingling from the first strike.

"Get your bloody hands off of me!" She hissed dangerously. "You fucked up royally this time, Officer Sands!" She wrenched her arm from his grasp. "Royally." She repeated, pushing the door open.

Their argument had woken Lily, who was sitting in the middle of the bed, whimpering. Cerise grabbed her suitcase, and began throwing the few things she'd taken out of it, back in it as Sands came out of the bathroom.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing!" He demanded.

Cerise didn't look up at him, as she replied hotly. "I'm leaving, as you so eloquently told me to!"

"You can NOT be fucking serious!" He snapped. He could hear movement in the hall, and knew they must have woken everyone up.

"Oh, but I am! After all, it's YOU who just stood in there and told me to!" She began packing Lily's bag up again.

Sands strolled forward and tore the bag from her grasp, slinging it across the room, into the wall, and went to grab her arm again.

"Don't you even DARE think you.."

She tore away from him. "I told you not to bleedin' fucking touch me!" She cried, glaring back at him as he glared back at her, a look of pure anger on his face.

"You are NOT going to do this!" He shouted.

"Giving orders again, Officer Sands!"

At that moment, the bedroom door was thrown open sharply, Sarah standing in the doorway. The rest of the team were out in the hall, looking on, concerned and worried.

"Knock it off, the both of you!" Sarah snapped dangerously.

"Stay the fuck out of this Darcy!" Sands snarled at her, with out even turning in her direction.

"You're going to bloody well do this in front of Lily!" Sarah demanded.

Sands turned on her, "I told you to stay the fuck out of this!" He hissed in that very soft and dangerous tone.

Sarah stared him down, an angry glare on her face and she shoved past him to the bed, scooping Lily up and turning, leaving the room. The little girl cried on Sarah's shoulder.

Sarah stopped in the door way and turned, glaring at Sands. "You, are a fucking asshole!" She snapped back at him, before heading towards her and Letty's room.

Cerise had taken that moment to grab Lily's bag, stuffing the things back in. Now she grabbed that and her suit case and started for the door behind Sarah.

Sands reached out and grabbed the strap of Lily's bag, "This isn't fucking over!" He hissed in that soft and dangerous tone.

Cerise swung around with the suit case, hitting him in the side and making him let go, as he stumbled to the side. "As far as I'm concerned, it is!" She snapped back.

Sands' hand shot out and grabbed the handle of her suitcase, yanking it back, out of her grasp. He threw it across the room, causing everyone in the hall to grimace or jump. "I'll tell you when it's over, bitch!"

'

"You FUCKING BASTARD!" She screamed. This time, she threw Lily's bag at him, spilling the contents. "I WILL NOT take this shit from you!" She continued to scream.

With that, she turned on her heels and ran down the hall. Sands tore out of the room after her, shoving Ryan out of his way and managing to dodge the hall table. Sarah watched from the doorway of her and Letty's room with a fierce look, Lily sitting in the middle of her bed. Letty looked on wide eyed. The twins stood silently in the door way of their room, exchanging silent looks. Ryan blinked repeatedly, rubbing his elbow.

"Don't you FUCKING DARE THINK ABOUT IT!" Sands yelled after Cerise, nearly tripping on a chair as he chased after her..

Cerise paused only a moment, in the greeting hall, her hand on the door knob. She glared at him with an icy glare as he stopped feet from her, breathing hard from adrenaline

"Don't you fucking dare think about going through that door!" Sands hissed dangerously, glaring just as coldly as she was. They hadn't fought this bad in a long time. They both had tempers and he knew how intense their fights could be.

"Fuck you!" She sneered back, before pulling the door open and leaving. The sound of the door banging, echoed through out the pent house, causing everyone but Sarah, to jump again.

"YOU FUCKING BITCH!" Sands screamed as he yanked the door open behind her, in time to see her disappear through the door to the stairs. He could hear her running down them, her heels echoing loudly.

He slammed the door so hard in her wake, it knocked something off, and he turned, leaning against it breathing hard, trying to get a check on his anger. He didn't know who he was angrier. Her, or himself?

The rest of the team began to slowly retreat into their rooms. Sarah pushed Letty through the door behind her and continued to stand where she was, glaring at Sands, her arms crossed over her chest.

"Jeff..."Logan started to speak.

"I don't wanna fucking hear it!" Sands sneered, the soft dangerous tone, icy and deadly.

Sands looked ready to kill, and Sarah shot Logan a silent warning to back down now. Logan followed it, going back into his room.

Sands stormed into the kitchen, pulling open the cabinets, searching. He swore viciously, when he remembered, no one had gone grocery shopping.

He turned, and headed back towards the greeting hall, grabbing his jacket. "Where are you going, Jeff?" Sarah asked from her spot.

"None of your fucking business." Sands hissed softly, pulling the jacket on roughly and taking a half a pack of cigarettes from inside a pocket. Lighting it, he pulled the door open and walked out, slamming the door behind him.


	10. Aggressive Results

Author's Note: Sincere apologies for the time it took to get this up. I've been terribly distracted. But I'm back, with TWO new chapters for you. :)

Many thanks to my loyal readers and reviewers, and to Quick29 for the PM yesterday that jolted me back around to this. Hugs to all. As always, thanks to Scarlett Burns, who originally convinced me to do this.

**Disclaimer**- I do not own Sheldon Jeffrey Sands, or any other characters from _Once Upon A Time In Mexico_. I just let him come over and play, often. ;)

* * *

She was no where to be seen on the streets, having already disappeared into the night and he had no clue where she'd have gone. There was a part of him that was glad of this, that wanted to blame her for the argument. 

The rest of him was thoroughly disgusted with that little part, knowing that they'd both been at fault, more him then her. That he'd said things he shouldn't have said. But he'd been angry, and he was still angry. And he was going to drink, until he was to fucked to remember they'd argued and what it had been over.

He headed down the street towards a liquor store, that just happened to have been open at that ungodly hour and headed inside, the warm air of the building's heater hitting him hard as the door closed behind him, with the tinkling of that little bell that signaled the coming of a customer.

He stalked up and down the isles looking at all the bottles and grabbed a bottle of vodka. Taking it up to the counter, he paid for it and another pack of cigarettes and left the shop, unscrewing the cap of the bottle to take a long swig as he walked down the darkened streets.

* * *

She pulled some coins from the pocket of her leather jeans and fed them to the payphone, dialing his number. She needed the company before she did something she'd regret, and she knew she could count on him to keep her as sane as she came. 

The phone rang a few times, before he answered, his voice as sweet as she remembered it.

"Jack Ruex speaking."

"Hello Jack, it's Cerise." She said softly, leaning on the booth.

"Cerise, what's up?" There was concern in his voice.

"I need some company and possibly someone to get drunk with." She replied. "Can we meet up somewhere, PLEASE Jack!"

"Of course! Damn it, you know we can! Swing by my hotel, the Mayflower. Suite 1227."

"Thanks deary, I'll be there shortly." Cerise replied, before hanging up.

She flagged down a taxi and got in. A few moments later, the taxi was dropping her off infront of the Mayflower, one of the richer hotels.

She paid and went inside, up to the customer counter. "Can you tell me what floor 1227 is on?" She asked the man at the desk.

"The third floor. Would you like me to phone ahead and inform our guest of your arrival?"

"No, thank you." She replied simply, before turning and heading for the elevator.

He answered the door, looking for more comfortably then he had at the club. He was only wearing a pair of ragged, bleach stained jeans with holes in the knees. Cerise stared at him a moment, suddenly realizing how much, he very much looked like Sands.

_Well, everyone is supposed to have a twin in the world, Jack just happens to be Sheldon's... _She thought to herself and indeed, Jack could easily pass very much so as Sands' twin. She noticed the scar under his heart, from a bullet.

Jack tossed her a warm grin, before moving away from the door. "Come on in, Red." He said over his shoulder. Cerise grinned slightly and entered the suite, shutting the door behind her. "So what's up?" He asked, as he went behind a wet bar and mixed up two rum and cokes.

Cerise frowned slightly, flopping down on the plush couch. "Can we put that off for just a couple minutes, and just catch up, it's been so long, Jack."

Jack chuckled as he brought over the drinks and handed her one. Cerise took a drink, before sitting the glass on the coffee table in front of her and motioned to Jack to give her a cigarette as he lit his own, sitting down beside her on the couch.

Jack handed her his pack of cigarettes and lighter. "If we're going to catch up, where do you want to start?" He asked her.

"Anywhere." Cerise said with a sigh. "Where's Winkem, Blinkem, and Nodd?" She asked.

Jack shrugged. "Shane and Shaun are out doing what ever they do after getting shit faced in a club, probably screwing like rabbits."

Cerise laughed, grinning wearily.

"Alex has a lecture at the Museum in the morning, so she's already turned in for the night." Jack added.

Cerise nodded, taking a drag from her cigarette, then looked at Jack. "How are...things between you and Alex?" She asked softly.

Jack took a drink of his rum and coke and shrugged. "As well as can be, I guess. There's still a lot of tension between us, and we're taking things slowly, but." He shrugged again.

Cerise sighed, leaning back against the couch. "She didn't take kindly to the fact you were alive for those two years, did she?" She asked him.

Jack looked over at her with sour look. "She thought I was dead, Cerise."

"I know that." Cerise replied in her defense. And she did know. Jack and Alex had been engaged, before Jack's rival shot and 'killed' him. Jack had stayed undercover for two years, allowing Alex to believe he was dead, to protect her. Alex hadn't taken it well, when she'd discovered he was alive and well.

"That's something you and I have in common, Jack." Cerise said with a sigh.

"What?" He asked her, watching her.

"Deceiving the person we love the most..." Cerise answered softly.

"You and him at it again?" Jack asked.

"You know Sheldon and I." Cerise replied with another sigh.

"Well, I don't know Sands personally, only by reputation, but I'd gladly kick the shit out of him for messing with my Red." Jack winked at her.

Cerise chuckled as she sat forward and began pulling off her boots. "They're killing my feet." She said as she did so.

"So how's your career as a teacher?" Jack asked her as she leaned back.

"It's good." She replied. "I like working with the children."

"Don't miss COs any more?" Jack asked her.

"What about you, Jack, do you miss them?"

"Not a damn bit." Jack replied, grinning.

"So you're happy in...solitary archeology?" Cerise asked.

Jack laughed out right as he leaned back, his hands behind his head. He looked over at Cerise, grinning. "That is a singular way of putting it. But lets call the job what it is. Mercenary tomb raiding. And to answer your question, I don't miss COs one bit."

Jack had once been a Language Officer in clandistend operations, supplying teams and solitary Officers and Agents with translations on nearly 20 languages.

He was also a fully trained CO officer and served as both at times. Until he suffered a break down from losing an extremely close friend, then he retired and be came a tomb raider. Having grown up with an archeologist/professor father, Jack's second passion had always been history and archeology. He was excellent at what he did now.

"Besides, how many times was I pulling double duty and playing Field Agent?" Jack asked.

"More times then you were translating," Cerise answered.

"Exactly. I went in as a Language Officer, I left as a Field Officer." Jack shook his head. "Besides, I see enough action in my present occupation."

"I suppose you would, running around with Shane Li."

"Yeah, but Shane's got NOTHING on Sands. I mean, think about it. If Sands wasn't in the CIA, if he were freelance assassin..."

"He'd be number one of seven, and Shane would get bumped down to probably five." Cerise answered, in regards to Shane's status amung the world's six best assassins. Shane averaged number three. "But then Shane would be all pouty and jealous and never talk to me again." Cerise added. "And where then, would I get my niffty toys?" Jack chuckled. "By the way, thanks for the decor on the Night Eagle."

"Like that did you?"

"Very much so." Cerise answered.

After a moment of silence, Jack asked. "So tell me what happened tonight."

Cerise sighed, finishing off her drink and getting up, going to towards the wet bar. "We got into a horrific argument." She said as she mixed her self another drink.

"About what?" Jack asked. Cerise stopped with a sigh, sagging a bit, resting her hand on the bottle of rum on the counter. She stared at the wall.

Then she answered. "Rather or not I'm capable of doing a field assignment." She looked at him.

"He's just worried, Reese."

"I'm aware of that, but his approach to the subject, is the completely WRONG way. He accused me of endangering Lily's life by going out tonight and seeing you and the other's at the club."

"You didn't tell him, you were going, did you, Reese?"

"I shouldn't have to!" Cerise replied, giving Jack a look.

"Maybe, maybe not." Jack replied, taking a drag from his cigarette

"You're supposed to be on my side." Cerise muttered, taking a swig of rum, straight from the bottle.

"I am on your side. I'm just saying there had to be a reason why he acted the way he did. But I know, you have to cool off before you can ask him rationally, with out getting pissed."

"I have a right to be pissed. He called me a bitch!"

"I don't think it's the first time you've ever been called bitch and I doubt it'll be the last time." Jack pointed out.

Cerise gave him a look, taking another long drink out of the rum bottle. "I don't need to hear it out of his mouth." She replied.

"And what did you call him?" Jack asked, getting up from his spot.

"The usual." She replied as he came over to the bar.

"Ouch, Reese. You know that hurts our feelings." Jack replied with a slight grin, as she took another drink from the rum. He snatched the bottle and watched her pout a moment.

"Oh, so I take it Alex has called you that too?"

"Well," Jack said, pouring more rum in his glass. "We all know I'm a son of a bitch."

"True that." Cerise saluted him with her glass and Jack laughed softly, sitting the rum bottle on the counter. Cerise grabbed it, adding more rum to her own drink.

"But does Sands really deserve that title?" Jack asked her, leaning on the counter.

"Oh, according to him, yes he does. His mother was a bitch, but frankly, I can think of some worse names to call him right now." Cerise answered.

"Oh I don't doubt that." Jack replied, watching her. "But look, I hear he's still adjusting to his...new life style, so easy up a bit, sugar."

"Okay, you know what, that's the one thing right now that's bugging the shit out of me." Cerise said, lighting another cigarette.

"What?" Jack asked lighting his own.

"He likes to take it out on me, when he's pissed."

"I really DOUBT he likes to. I think it's more along the lines of he knows you wont take it so seriously, but obviously, you do, so here's what you do. You TELL him this."

Cerise rolled her eyes. "You should take some of your own advice Jack."

"Yeah, I'm working on that." Jack muttered, looking out the window.

"Besides, I don't know where he's at right now. Probably off getting drunk..." Cerise muttered into her glass before taking a large drink.

"Like you?"

"I'm not getting drunk." Cerise replied hotly in her defense.

"You will if you keep at that rum."

"And you're going to bitch, why?" Cerise asked him with a look.

"Remember Reese, I've seen you drunk, it's not a pretty sight." Jack replied.

"As if you NEVER get drunk." Cerise rolled her eyes again.

"Well I don't." Jack said with a cocky grin.

"Oh, I seem to remember an incident when Shane succeeded in getting you drunk...And we had to haul your ass out of the bar before you started shit."

"Are you sure you're not confusing me with Shane?" Jack asked coyly.

Cerise laughed, leaning on the counter. "Shane's had his moment's too, I'll admit it."

"Best time to beat the shit out of him. He wont remember once he gets over the hangover, who kicked his ass." Jack said, still grinning cocky.

Cerise sighed. "I miss those days..." She muttered. "They seem so long ago."

"We'll have to do it again, so time, for old time sake." Jack said.

"That's what we're doing now." Cerise replied. "I just need one more favor, before I go." She said.

Jack looked at her. "What's that." Cerise relit her cigarette slowly.

"Cerise, what is it?" Jack asked.

"Patients, Jack." Cerise said, not looking up. She flipped the lighter closed and took the cigarette from her lips, giving Jack a very devious grin, in Sands' style.

* * *

After half the bottle of vodka, Sands hardly noticed that it was cold outside. And this was late summer. He could hear thunder over head, but wasn't worried about it raining. 

He walked along the sidewalk, holding the bottle with the hand that had the cigarette, his other hand thrust into his jean pocket.

He continued walking, taking a drag of the cigarette and a long swig out of the bottle as the heavens above broke out and a heavy cold rain began falling, soaking him down. But Sands kept walking, hardly noticing the rain. His mind jumping from thought to thought.

He finished off the bottle of vodka and tossed it in a trash can as he passed one, looking around the street. On the corner, across from him was a bar that was still open. Sands crossed the street and entered the bar.

The atmosphere was smoky and smelled heavily of liqueur. He paused a moment, casing the joint, before moving towards the bar. He slid on to a stool as the bar tender came over, asking in English, with a heavy Russian accent what he wanted.

"What ever you've got that's the strongest." Sands replied. The man looked at him for a long moment, then turned around and took a bottle off the shelf behind him.

Sands looked at it as the man put it down in front of him. A bottle of Absinthe. He looked from the bottle up to the man. "Tis the strongest." The man said with a shrug, putting a glass on the counter next to the bottle.

Sands watched the man pour half a glass. The bar tender looked up at him. "How do you want to do this?"

Sands scratched his eyebrow. "How's the best way to do it?" The bar tender took a silver spoon with a few holes in it, from under the counter and sat it on the glass, before placing a sugar cube on top of the spoon.

He grabbed a pitcher of ice water. "After I put the water in, I'll light it on fire. You've got to slap the fire off.." The man showed Sands with a motion on the counter. "Then down it in one take. The name's Ivan, by the way, best to tell you now, cause after a few of these, you're not going to remember."

Sands laughed. "Well, there's a first time for everything isn't there?" He asked Ivan.

"Have you ever had Absinthe, before?" Ivan asked him as he poured an amount of water into the absinthe over the sugar.

"Uh...once, in London." Sands replied. Ivan looked at him as he put the pitcher down.

"It's very strong my friend."

"So's bottle of 112 year old tequila, and that sure as hell didn't kill me." Sands replied.

Ivan laughed, taking a lighter from his pocket. "Are you ready for this, my friend?" Ivan asked.

Sands gave him a devious grin. "Light my fire."

Ivan grinned and flicked the lighter, lighting the absinthe on fire. Sands watched the fire for a moment, before bringing his hand down on top of it in a lightening quick motion, extinguishing the flame.

Then he grabbed the shot glass and threw his head back, downing the contents in one quick, fluid motion.

"Whoa!" He slammed the glass back down on the counter and grinned at Ivan.

"Well, you're not smoking at the ears." Ivan said, with a grin.

"Like I said, not as bad as the tequila." Sands said with a grin of his own.

"For someone who's never had Absinthe before, that was expertly done."

"I strive for the best." Sands replied.

"Another?" Ivan asked. Sands was thoughtful for a moment, then gestured. He was already on his way towards drunk, thanks to the vodka.

Ivan began setting up another shot. "So what's your story? We usually don't get foreigners this late."

Sands sighed, watching Ivan prepare the shot. "I had an argument..."

"With your wife." Ivan finished for him. Sands nodded. "Ah, we get guys like you in here all the time. They don't want to buy their wives this or that. Is that what it was about?"

Sands shook his head. "Hardly."

Ivan backed off some, he was a smart man, he knew when to pry and when not to. "So tell me about your wife."

"What can I say? She's everything to me." Sands said nonchalantly, "The woman I love more then anything. She and my daughter...they're my only reasons for living." Sands slapped the fire off the glass and downed it.

Ivan smiled slightly, he knew how this man felt. "Yes...they usually are."

"You married?" Sands asked.

"For 23 years. I have four children." Ivan said with a broad smile.

But out of the corner of his eye, he noticed one of the drunk locals moving towards the bar, eyeing Sands. Ivan knew this local was one who enjoyed starting shit and frankly, Ivan liked this foreigner, he didn't want to see something happen.

Sands sat the glass down, watching the man's shadow, through the mirror behind the bar, as he moved towards him. Sands took out a cigarette and lit it, as he waited. Ivan eased up off the bar as the man stopped next to the stranger.

"Who are you?" The man demanded.

"Now, come on Pieter, there's no need to start anything.' Ivan warned the local. But Pieter ignored Ivan.

Sands took a drag of his cigarette and didn't look at the man. "Just a stranger, passing through." He answered.

The man named Pieter reeked of vodka. "We don't like strangers around here. Stranger's don't last long."

"Is that so?" Sands asked, flicking the ashes off his cigarette.

Pieter was a very large man, with board shoulders. He glared at Sands, before grabbing Sands by the collar of his shirt and jerking him off the stool.

Pieter leaned in close, holding Sands a few inches off the floor, his face close to Sands, their noses almost touching. "I don't like the way you talk. In fact, I don't like the way you look."

Sands regarded the man in a board look. "You get paid for this?" He asked calmly.

Pieter sat him on the floor and back handed Sands. Sands stumbled back into stool, grabbing the counter of the bar to support himself. His hand flew to his sunglasses, righting them, but it was to late for Ivan.

There was a look of horror on Ivan's face, he'd seen what lay behind the sunglasses. Now Sands was pissed. That was the third time he'd been hit in the face.

Still facing the bar, holding on with both hands, his fingernails digging into the wood, his knuckles white from anger, he spoke in that soft dangerous voice, to Pieter. "Ya hit me again, and I'm gonna throw ya a beatin'."

Pieter rolled with laughter, then reached out to grab Sands by the collar again.

Sands came away from the counter in a lighting quick movement and grabbed one of Pieter's arm with one hand, ramming the palm of his hand onto the outside of the elbow, snapping it in half.

Pieter howled in pain, stumbling back and holding his arm. He looked up at Sands, glaring. Then yelled a command at his two friends.

The two men rushed Sands together. Sands struck out at the first one, with a roundhouse kick, knocking the man across the room. As he came back around, he grabbed a bottle of vodka on the counter and brought it down on the head of the second man, shattering it.

Now Pieter was very angry and with a bellow of rage, he lunged at Sands, tackling him into the bar. The back of Sands' head struck edge of the bar and white hot pain flashed through his head. He barely managed to deflect the bottle that Pieter was bringing down on his face.

Taking most of the shards of the bottle in his right arm, slicing numerous places on his arm, he drove his left fist into the man's face, before kneeing him in the groin.

Shoving the man off him, Sands grabbed the back of Pieter's shirt and rammed him head first into the wall beside the bar. Pieter fell over lifeless.

Sands staggered back, breathing hard, and clutching his arm. Ivan looked over the bar at Pieter's still form, then at Sands with awe. "You're the first to beat him..." Ivan muttered.

Sands looked at him. "Yeah? Imagine that." He breathed, with a slight air of sarcasm.

Ivan looked at him. "You're bleeding." He nodded to Sands' arm.

"So I am." Sands muttered. Letting go of his arm, he reached into his jean pocket with his left hand and tossed a few dollars on the bar.

"The absinthe and that little work out, was just what I needed to cool off. If ya don't mind, I'm going to go...home and bandage up this arm and go to bed!" Sands told Ivan, heading for the door.

"Good luck with your wife. I truely hope she wont be upset about this." Sands grinned wryly heading out the door.

The fight had sobered him mostly and he was much calmer after it. But being calm, just made him worry about Cerise. He had no idea where she was.

* * *

**Word Use and Meaning-**

**COs**- Clandistene Operations.  
**Field Agent- **Agents or Officers of the CIA or other intelliegence agencies who work COs and Field Assignments


	11. Dangerous Nights

Author's Note: There are adult themes in this chapter, if you are uncomfortable with such, skip down to the second half of the chappter.

My thanks to those who keep me going on this. And I hope you enjoy this and the previous chapter. I promise not to go to long with out updating this story again. ;)

**Disclaimer**- I do not own Eric Cameron, he belongs to Scarlett Burns. I've just borrowed him for this again. ;) He's just to much fun NOT to have popping in and out from time to time.

* * *

Cerise had left Jack's suite, a smile on her face, and a hand in her pocket, fingering the single key. She hit the streets, groaning and uttering a swear when she realized it was raining, hard. 

And it was cold. But what pissed her off the most was the lack of taxis. "Guess I'm hoofin' it." She muttered to her self , groaning over the lack of a jacket.

With a sigh, she turned and began sprinting down the side walk in the opposite way she'd came. She now had somewhere else to go for the night, and she'd use it to her advantage, to cool off over Sands. She'd head back to the safe house in the morning, knowing Sarah would look out for Lily.

She'd gone a few blocks before she looked up again, to see where she was going and slowed to a crawling jog. A few feet in front of her was Sands, staggering down the street, a slight sway to his steps.

Cerise sighed and came to a walk. She should have known. She should have known he'd go off to get drunk. That's what he ALWAYS did when they fought. Right back to that night right here in Prague, when they'd gotten drunk and ended up in bed together. That was before they were lovers.

She smirked at the thought, it hadn't really dawned on her that this was Prague. The very city they'd first made love and they'd first argued to the point of tears and slaps.

And he was usually much MORE affectionate when he was drunk. Cerise had a bet on with Sarah, to see if she could get Sands to actually start purring. She sighed. She might as well try and make amends with him, she didn't know how long she could go with out being with him.

So as he stopped at the corner, she jogged up beside him. "I don't suppose I'm entitled to asking what the hell you're doing out here, am I?" She said softly, looking up and down the street.

Sands startled, but hid it. He didn't look in her direction. "I could ask you the same damn thing." He replied in a flat tone.

"Well I'm sure as hell not getting drunk." Cerise replied, giving him a look.

He looked over at her. "I'm not drunk." He replied, in the most sober tone Cerise had ever heard him use. Cerise stared at him, as another silence fell between them.

She turned her face to the sky and batted her eyes against the rain drops. Looking back down at the street, she shivered, feeling very frozen suddenly. The silence still remained between her and Sands, until she broke it.

"I'm cold." She said in a near whisper. Sands looked over at her, then with out a word, reached out and grabbed her around the waist, pulling her in front of him, he wrapped his arms around her waist, holding her close, burying his face in her wet hair.

"Are we okay now?" He asked in the near whisper. He felt her nod.

"We're okay now." She whispered. "I know where we can go for some time alone." She replied softly. They hadn't had time alone, really, for nearly three months.

He turned her to him. "Oh really?" He asked, still holding her by the waist.

She gave him a smile, and slipped out of his arms. "Yes. Come on." She took his hand and lead him down the street a little more, until they came to an apartment building.

She took the key out of her pocket and slipped it into the key hole in the iron gate, and pulled it open, before pushing the glass and wooden door open.

She then took Sands by the hand again, and led him up a long spiral stair case. On the third landing, she turned and led him down the short hall to the door at the end, then proceeded to unlock that door.

Sands stepped in behind her and looked around the living room, that was done in a chic, expensive style. Very much in his taste actually.

"Where are we?" He asked her as she closed and locked the door, putting the chain on.

"A friend of mine owns this place, he uses it occasionally when he's in the area, but this time, he's staying at the Mayflower."

"Oh really? And am I entitled to know this friend's name?" Sands questioned, giving her a look and she turned on the dinning room lights. The dinning room was just a chic as the living room.

"Not really, besides, you DON'T know him, Sheldon."

"Well who is he?"

"I just said you don't know him."

"How do I know if you wont tell me." He followed her into the kitchen.

She sighed and turned to him. "Jack Ruex."

"No I don't KNOW him, but I know OF him." Sands replied in less then a minute.

"Oh I figured you'd heard of him, being a Language officer and all." Cerise said.

"Supposed to be very charming if I remember correctly, and look a little something like me." There was a mock pout in his tone as he followed her into the bed room.

"Oh he looks more then a LITTLE like you, he could easily pass as your twin brother." Cerise said, glancing over her shoulder and seeing the scowl on Sands' face.

The bed room was large, in a gothic romantic style. With a large king size wroth iron four poster canopy bed, sheer red curtains running around it, standing in one corner. The bed made up in rich velvets and silks in red, purple and gold. The room was dark, with rich cherry woods and heavy velvet draps on the windows and balcony.

In the corner opposite of the bed, was a large fire place. Sands looked around the room with a raised eyebrow. "Trust me, this is Jack's fiancee's doing." Cerise said, turning to Sands.

"So he's getting married then."

"Mhmm, to a very lovely girl." Cerise replied, stepping closer.

Sands reached out and took her by the waist. "So then I don't have to worry about having to kick his ass."

Cerise smiled, "No, you don't have to worry about having to kick his ass." She echoed. She ran both hands down both his arms pausing when he gritted his teeth in pain. "Been fighting?" She asked, looking at his arm.

"Nah...it' was a social dispute." Sands answered.

Cerise shook her head, "We'll take care of it later," She said, then pushed his arms away from her, behind his back. Sands started to open his mouth to ask her what she was doing, when he felt the metal close around on of his wrists, then the other.

Now Sands did speak. "Is this supposed to be funny?" He asked in an irritated tone. But Cerise wasn't bothered by it. She'd gotten the key to the apartment, and the handcuffs from Jack.

And planned on using them. Before Sands could say something else, she placed two fingers on his lips. "It's not supposed to be funny, but it is to teach you a lesson."

"Excuse me?" Sands asked, giving her a look.

She caressed his lips with her thumb. "I know how much you have to be in control in the bedroom, but tonight...it's my turn." She said softly.

He raised an eyebrow. "Cerise, I don't think..."

"Oh, but I do." She whispered, before kissing his neck.

She took his arm and led him over to the bed. "Let me have this, Sheldon, just this once." She said softly, undoing one of his hands.

He was about to over power her, to get out of the handcuffs, but she expected this, and she pushed him down on the bed, straddling him, and looping the handcuffs through the gaps in the head board, cuffing his free hand again.

He looked up at his hands, then at her. "Cerise..." She ignored him and reached into his jean pocket, where she knew it would be and removed his butterfly knife.

Sands watched her open it with a flick of her wrist. "I'm afraid I'm going to owe you a shirt." She said softly, before slicing up the long sleeved shirt.

"I'll say," He replied, watching her.

She looked through her eyelashes at him, then pushed the shirt from around his chest, leaning down. She kissed his shoulders slowly, working her way up to his neck.

She bit him lightly where the shoulder met the neck. He clenched his teeth. She worked her way back down and leaned over, kissing one nipple, bitting it gently, rolling her tongue around it. Sands breathed in sharply, through his clenched teeth, "Cherry." He groaned. She smiled behind her kiss and raised up.

With out saying a word, she slid down his body, undoing the zipper and button of his jeans. Slapping him smartly on the hip with the flat of the knife, she ordered him, "Raise your hips."

"And if I don't?" He retorted back.

"Well then that's your problem, but I can still cut them off of you. I just figured you'd want to save a pair of jeans." She replied in a silky voice.

He didn't move for a second, staring at her. Then slowly, he raised his hips off the bed. She lay the knife down for a moment, grabbed his jeans by the belt loops and pulled them down his legs.

Pulling off his boots, which thudded on the floor, she yanked the jeans off his ankles and dropped them on top of the boots.

She raised up on her knees, as she straddled his legs, and looked down at him, resting the knife against her hip. She raised her other hand to her lips and bit her finger, in a very thoughtful and very coy, seductive look. "Well, here we are. What ever shall I do with you, Officer Sands?"

Sands shifted, bringing his knees up, tipping her forward, until she lost her balance and fell ontop of him. A hand above each of his shoulders. "I could think of a few things to do with you." He replied in husky tone, leaning up to kiss her. She pulled back at the last moment, watching him drop back on the bed with a puff of air. She grinned at him.

"Oh trust me, I can think of a few things." She said, satting back on his legs gently. She slid the knife into one leg of his boxers and he heard the rip of material as she cut up wards. "You may be forced to leave this flat in the morning, with out underwear."

"You'd enjoy that to much." Sands retorted.

"Of course I would." She answered, still grinning at him and cut through the other leg. She pulled the ruined boxers from under him, tossing them over her shoulder and looked down at him as she closed the knife.

A coy smile played over her lips, which tortured him even more, because he was unable to do anything to change that look. "Hmm." She muttered, sliding the knife to the foot of the bed.

She reached down and wrapped her fingers around his manhood. Sands drew in another sharp breath, shifting under her. She smiled wickedly and rolled off of him, but didn't let go of his manhood. She ran her fingers up and down the length of him, slowly coax him to erection.

"You can't tell me you're not enjoying yourself." She said softly, innocently.

"I think that's an understatement." Sands hissed between his teeth. "Cherry...stop it..."

"Stop what?" She asked innocently, running the tips of her nails down him. Sands jerked roughly under her touch. She leaned down and kissed the very tip of him, letting her tongue play over him for a moment. "Enough!" He breathed, then added dejectedly, "Please..."

She raised up, but still held him in her hand. "So you're learning to beg now, are you?" She asked teasingly.

"Cherry...please!" He groaned in pleasurable agony. She grinned a little more, and leaned down, kissing him long and passionately.

She leaned back, slipping on to her feet at the end of the bed and pulled off her top, showing she wasn't wearing a bra. Sands watched her, licking his lips unconsciously. She saw this and smiled seductively. She slid her hands down to her waist and slowly undid the leather jeans, shimming out of them slowly.

Leaving her boyleg panties on for a little while longer, she crawled back on to the bed, straddling his body. She examined his arm. "More then a little dispute, wasn't it." She muttered. "I'll bandaged that for you in a bit." She said softly, leaning down and kissing him again.

He raised his head, kissing her back hard, bitting lightly on her bottom lip. "You may not want to unhandcuff me..." He growled as she pulled back some.

"And why's that?" She asked softly, looking down at him.

"Because, sugarbutt, I want revenge for this little adventure of yours." She sat back on his legs and laughed. Sands had to grin himself, her laughter was music to his ears.

She leaned forward again, running her hands up his chest. "Oh, I know you do..." She purred. "And I'm sure you'll get it..."

"Damned right I will." He replied as she kissed his neck.

She looked back down at him, a serious look on her beautiful face. "I need you to say a couple of things first, Sheldon, and I really mean it. I need to hear them, now..." She said softly.

He looked at her face, which was partially lit from the lamps near by and the street light outside the window. The alabaster skin, the heart shaped face, the sparkle of her eyes. He drank it in, even if it wasn't a very clear image.

God how he'd missed looking upon her. With a soft sigh, he replied to her. "I'm sorry Cerise, for the things I said earlier."

"That's one of them..." She whispered.

He studied her face a moment, he didn't know what she meant, then he realized, and his heart twisted sharply. He whispered. "Baby, I'll be there to catch you, **forever.** I love you Cerise."

She bit her cheek, to keep from letting the tears fall and leaned forward, kissing him again, this time, slow, gentle and loving. When she sat back again, she raised to her knees, with out a word and slid out of her boylegs. Slowly, she slid onto him, adjusting for comfort.

Sands raised his hips slightly, sinking deeper into her. A soft moan escaped her lips. After a moment, she began the rhythm, moving her hips in a circular motion, slowly. Sands inhaled deeply, moaning. She kept this rhythm steady for some time, driving Sands through pleasurable agony.

He continued to moan, arching sharply, his fingers wrapping around the chain of the handcuffs, and he pulled hard on them, making them clatter against the wroth iron. Cerise watched him, her hands resting on his chest.

She leaned down, stopping the rhythm for a moment and kissed him deeply, pressing him back into the velvet. When she leaned back, she began the rhythm again, harder, faster, driving him towards the point of no return.

As the climax broke over him, he moaned her name loudly, tugging one last time, hard on the handcuffs, collapsing into the bed, amoung the velvet and silk of the mass of pillows. Cerise fell ontop of him, breathing hard. With one hand, she reached up and undid the handcuffs.

Sands dropped his arms and wrapped them around her body, holding her to him. "I love you." He whispered hoarsely.

She smiled against his chest and replied. "I love you too. And I'm sorry for earlier."

"Lets forget that for now." He said softly, stroking her hair.

"Agreed."

* * *

Cerise had dug through the drawers in the dresser and found Sands a change of clothes, which amazingly fit him well. "Well, I guess not only does he look like you, he's your size..." She said, her head cocked to the side as he pulled on the jeans. 

Sands picked up the shirt and gave it a look. "Not much in taste." Cerise laughed softly, before going into the bathroom and getting the first aid kit.

"So how do you know Jack Ruex?" He asked as she came back out. He'd started a fire in the fire place and they settled down on the floor in front of it. She'd slipped on a woman's silk night shirt, that was a bit big on her and she rolled up the sleeves.

Alex was a bit taller then Cerise. "Well, half through Alex, half from work." She said, opening the kit.

"And Alex is...?"

"Jack's fiancee. Alexandra O'Connell and myself, went to broading school, in the north of England, with a couple other girls I'm good friends with, Shannara Karrde, Shaun as we call her for short, and Lara Croft... Funny, those three girls are all daughters of English Lords... I got in...because of my grandfather..." Cerise said softly, frowning.

Sands knew she came from a very old English family. But he knew things about her family that she didn't know, like the estates and the money that were waiting to go to her when her great aunt died.

Her mother had been a actress on stage, Cerise had grown up back stage of the London version of Broadway. Her father, the son of a bitch, had own a collection of shops, including a bakery.

"Anyway," She went on, as she uncapped the peroxide, "I knew Jack from work, I was partnered with him, briefly, you remember, when Maxell split us up for those six months..."

Sands frowned at the thought. Eight months after they'd become lovers, their superior, Maxell had tried to split them up, partnering them with other people for about six months, Doddson had put a stop to it, re-partnering them.

"Then Jack left because...well he lost his best friend," She went on.

"I remember..." Sands said softly as she cleaned his arm.

"So he went into teaching and archeology, and he met Alex. And well, since I was already friends with both of them, it worked out perfectly." Cerise smiled at him, as she took the bandages out. "Anyway, Jack said we could use this place for as long as we needed. He and Alex are the only other people with a key, and they're headed back to England after tomorrow."

Sands looked around the room, it would work, for a second safe house, and escape, when they needed it. "Sounds good to me. So these friends you went to see tonight..." He looked at her.

Cerise blushed slightly. "Well, that's just it, it was Jack, Alex, Shaun and Shane..."

"Who's Shane?"

"He's...um...a freelance assassin." Cerise answered sheepishly, scratching her eyebrow. Sands raised an eyebrow, looking at her. Cerise blushed some more.

"How many other secrets do you have like this..." He asked her.

"Well probably not as much as you!" She replied, giving him a look. Sands tossed her a cocky grin. Cerise sighed, finishing bandaging his arm.

"Oh, it's all along story." She said with a gesture.

"Do you plan on telling me?" He asked her, running his fingers over her arm.

She looked directly at him. "Plan on telling me some of your secrets?" She asked pointedly.

Sands sighed, laying back on the rug, his hands behind his head. "Eventually." He answered simply. She looked at him silently. Sands didn't say a word, but reached over and pulled her to him. She laid her head on his chest, watching the fire.

* * *

Washu Li walked down the brightly lit, white sterile hall, carrying a black blinder and small biohazard box. At the end was a door with a key code. Standing next to the door were two men. One was tall, with dark sandy blonde hair and a handsome face. The other was a bit shorter, older man, but well built, with an athletic build. 

"Thank you for joining me tonight." Washu said, taking a key card from her pocket and running it through the device, before entering a digital code.

"What's the reason you want us down here, Doctor Li?" Steven Doddson asked, eyeing the young woman.

Washu gave them a surreptitious smile, and turned to the younger man. "I don't believe we've had the pleasure of meeting, I'm Doctor Washu Li." She held out her small hand.

The man took it, shaking it, while he studied the woman. "Eric Cameron."

"Yes, your record precedes you, Officer Cameron." Washu said with another sly smile.

"Li, what is going on?" Doddson demanded again.

"In time, dear sir, in time." She replied, as the door opened with a static hiss, revealing a sterile lab. "Please, come in." She motioned them in.

"Come into my parlor, said the spider to the fly..." Cameron muttered, following Li and Doddson in. Doddson glanced at him a moment, but didn't comment on what Cameron had said.

"This is all high technology, isn't it?" Doddson remarked to Li.

"The highest. This of course, is where I prefected the implants I used on Officer Sheldon Jeffrey Sands, earlier this week. This is ALSO, where I've discovered some...rather, INTERESTING information about our dear Officer Sands." Washu set her binder and bio-hazard box down on the counter in front of her and turned to Doddson and Cameron.

"What are you talking about, Li?" Doddson asked, almost glaring at her.

Washu placed a hand on the bio-hazard box. "What I'm about to tell you, Steven, will probably endanger my life. But don't worry so much about me, it's Sands life we're here to save, isn't it." She gave them a confident smile.

"Stop with the run around, Washu and tell me what you know." Doddson ordered.

Washu sighed and pulled the bio-hazard box towards her. "Your predecessor, Stevenson was really fucking around with Sands." Washu said to Doddson

She opened the box, there was another hiss as a cloud of dry ice leaked out. Pushing the lid back, she took a small case full of sample slides out.. "Do you know what these are?" She asked.

"Yeah," Cameron answered. "They're microscope slides."

"In one case you're right, but not in this." Washu replied, before she opened the case and took a few of the slides out. She laid them down on the stainless steal counter. There was something written on each. "Take a close look at what's written on the bottom of the slides."

Doddson and Cameron took a step closer and could make out the letters SJS on each, with a two digit number. There where six slides in all, that she'd taken out of the case. At least five more in the case. The numbers under the letters where 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, and 99.

"There's still 92, 93, along with 2000, through 2002 in the box.." She said, laying the box down behind the strips.

"Exactly, what are we looking at?" Doddson asked, looking up at Washu.

"Boys, these are blood samples." Washu replied, giving Doddson a look.

"So," Cameron replied. "The company's been known to do blood tests, in the past, for health reasons, the spooks..."

She cut him off. "Yes, I know, Officer Cameron, I've done a few of them myself. And at FIRST, I thought that's what they were, until I started looking closer." She pulled the binder over. "What I'm trying to tell you guys, is SOMEONE was using Sands, for a LOT more then assassinations." She flipped a few pages of the binder until she found what she wanted and spun it around to show Doddson and Cameron.

Cam was shocked at what he was reading. With wide eyes, that he couldn't tear away from the page, he tryed to make sense at what he was reading.

_Test subject, Officer Sheldon Jeffrey Sands, Number 030107, shows no sign of enhancement. Tests show no sign of the chemical that was placed in subjects blood..Tests to continue at Assistant Directors order,_

_Test subject, Officer Sheldon Jeffrey Sands, Number 030107 is starting to show signs of enhancement. Month five of chemical enhancement. Subject is showing signs of increased reflexes._

_Test subject, Officer Sheldon Jeffrey Sands, Number 030107 is starting to reveal more signs of enhancement. Month six in to chemical enhancement. Subject is showing signs of increased reflexes and now signs of increased optical abilities. Test subject has revealed signs of night vision. Tests to continue at Assistant Directors orders_

_Test subject Officer Sheldon Jeffrey Sands, Number 030107, although showing advanced signs of chemical enhancement is showing no signs of recognition of changes in body or enhancements. Unaware of the chemical compound now lacing his blood cells. All going according to plan. Tests and experiments to continue at Assistant Directors orders_

Cam couldn't stand looking at the page any more and turned his back on the binder.

"I know..." Washu said softly, watching him. Doddson cleared his throat.

"This still doesn't explain..." He spoke softly.

Washu nodded. "I can offer you a theory, but only until I know more." She said. Cameron turned back at looked at her. "I think...someone was trying to create the perfect killer. And I think...Sands was their test subject. And had no idea that he was so."

"How the fuck could he NOT!" Cameron asked in an angry tone.

Washu sighed, resting her fingers on the binder's page. "We've already assessed, in our little group, that some of Sands memory has been altered. He's been made to forget certain things. I think THIS was one of the things he was made to forget."

"How do we know it was Stevenson?" Doddson asked.

"Well, he WAS the assistant director of operations at the time, was he not?" Washu asked. They all knew this was true.

"These tests and experiments also seemed to get much more serious, around the time Sands experienced his break down after believing Officer Stone was dead." Washu said, turning another page in the binder. Cameron didn't even care to look at it.

"It seems at one point, they were afraid the breakdown would... Alter the chemical's compounds and possibly even lead to Sands' death. Then they seemed to decide that the breakdown increased the results of the chemical. And finally, they decided that it was the chemical's fault that Sands suffered from the breakdown,"

Cameron rolled his eyes, gaining an ill smile from Washu. "To this effect, they decided to discontinue tests on Sands. This was a month before Sands left OMS. At the same time, Stevenson retired from the company, giving way to you, Steven Doddson, and Sands reinstatement in the ranks." Washu finished, crossing her arms and leaning against the counter.

"Four questions." Doddson said, "One, what was the chemical being used? Two, where did you get these pages? Three, is there any threat to Sands now, from this chemical, and Four, did these...tests have anything to do with the incident?"

Washu sighed before answering. "One, I don't KNOW what the chemical was, at present time, but you can rest assured I intend on finding out. Two, I copied them from the actual file, it was brought to my attention by a friend of ours, who at this time, will remain nameless for safety. Three, I would say no...but I'm not entirely sure, until I know what the chemical is. And Four...I hope to God, it wasn't."

Doddson sighed, looking at the test strips again. "What about your safety, Washu?"

Washu chuckled. "Oh, no doubt, SOMEONE will discover I know this...but don't worry to much about me...I've died three times in the past, now haven't I. I'm like a bad penny, I keep turning up."

Doddson looked at her and had to chuckle himself. "If you need protection, Washu, you let me know. But I want you to get to the bottom of this. Anything you need, you call me personally, understand."

"Righto."

Doddson and Cameron left the lab and headed outside. They stopped under an orange street light in the parking lot as Doddson lit a cigarette.

Cameron shifted restlessly on his feet, before he spoke. "Sir, what was the incident, you mentioned to Doctor Li?"

Doddson looked up at him as he put his lighter away. Taking the cigarette from his mouth, he spoke. "How much do you know about Jeff's breakdown?"

Cameron shifted on his feet again. "I know that it was a result of Jeff believing Cerise was dead...I know that...her attempted death happened in an alley way in Mexico and I know that it was done by a man by the name of Monterio."

Doddson nodded. "Right, Robert Monterio. Officer, Robert Monterio."

"You mean..."Cameron blinked. "...Oh my God...Officer Monterio! He's a company agent! High ranking! A clandestine operations leader!"

"One in the same," Doddson said. "Here's something else, Eric. And this stays between you and me. Robert...paints a different picture of the events that happened that evening in the alley. And according to him, he was not the one who pulled the trigger..."

Cameron could only stare at Doddson as Doddson turned and walked away, towards his car. "Wait!" Cameron called out.

Doddson stopped and Cameron jogged over. "Now just wait a God damned minute!" Cameron said fiercely. "Jeff, Cerise and Monterio were the only people in that alley when it happened!"

Doddson nodded, taking a drag from his cigarette. "Do the math, Eric, you're a smart man."

Cameron blinked. "Are you damn well saying... Impossible! He would have NEVER!" Cameron replied, glaring at the older man.

Doddson shrugged. "I don't know, but as you said, they were the only three people in that alley when it happened."

"What does Cerise say happened!" Cameron demanded.

"Her...recollection of the events that occurred are a bit sketchy, which is very understandable, considering what she went through. All three stories start the same. Jeff and Robert where arguing. Cerise was standing to the side, avoiding conflict. Then it varies."

Cameron continued to glare. "You're saying, Jeff pulled the trigger and shot Cerise, point blank!"

"The 22 was found on Jeff's person, when the Mps, picked him up in the desert a day later." Cameron shook his head, not wanting to believe it. "Robert says that it was Jeff who turned and pulled the trigger. Jeff swears it was Robert and that he forced him out of the alley, before knocking him unconscious. That Jeff woke up the next day, in the middle of the desert, with the 22." Doddson said. "Cerise can't remember rightly who it was. She remembers everything, except who pulled the trigger. Now listen to me, Eric. If your lover pulled the trigger, would you remember, or would you force yourself to forget for your lover's sake?"

Cameron continued to shake his head. "Even if it was Jeff, why! Your forgetting Maxell!"

Doddson shook his head now, taking another drag. "Alice Maxell, was not behind the shooting. Yes, she was using Jeff for information. Yes, she was selling that information. But she did NOT send Robert into that alley to kill Cerise or Jeff. Robert went in there on...order from me..."

Cameron blinked. "WHAT!" He demanded hotly.

Doddson sighed. "I sent Robert in, out of fear that...I was worried that Jeff was well aware of what Alice was using him for, and that he was working with her willingly. Robert was sent in, to insue that this was not the case."

"In other words, you were afraid Jeff had gone double and you sent Monterio in to apprehend him." Cameron accused.

Doddson looked at his feet. "I wont deny it. And I wont deny I was WRONG! But tell me this." Doddson held up a finger, looking directly at Cameron again. "If Jeff wasn't going double, WHO really pulled the trigger?"

Cameron stared at Doddson for a long time, not able to find a complete answer.

"In any case, if Jeff had been going double...what happened was enough to shake him back into place...and perhaps thats why he did it." Doddson said, chunking his cigarette away. "You have to remember, Eric, that Jeff is a trained, bona fide dye in the wool killer. The best this company has. Who knows how he thinks?"

"She does..." Cameron replied, speaking of Cerise. "And his friends have SOME clue."

"Perhaps." Doddson answered. "In any case. Jeff is back on our side and that incident is in the past and better left there." Doddson said, turning and heading for his car.

"Maybe it's not in the past..." Cameron said softly.

"Good night, Eric, get some rest." Doddson called over his shoulder.

Cameron thrust his hands in his pockets, watching Doddson leave, his brow knitted. He might just get in some SERIOUS trouble, but Eric Cameron was going to investigate that evening in Mexico. For the good of his friends, for the good of truth, for the good of Sheldon Jeffrey Sands


	12. All Work

Author's Note: I'm trying to balance out whats happening with Sands and his team, at the same time with whats happening with Antony and Danny. So it's taken me alittle while to work out. Anyway, here's the next chapter. I love a man who can give orders. ;)

Thanks to all my wonderful reviewers and readers, both new and old. Thanks to Scarlett Burns.

* * *

Miranda O'Riley Kilpatrick pushed a lock of her dark auburn hair from her face and looked up at the paintings. She was in the library, where Antony kept the family portraits. 

She was staring at the one in the far corner, far away from the others. The young man in the painting had shoulder length, sable hair and a sharp, angular face, chiseled cheek bone. His eyes were a deep brown. As much as he didn't look like the rest of the family, there was a definite resemblance between him, Antony and Danny.

The portrait she was looking at was the last and only portrait of Antony and Danny's baby brother, Sheldon Jeffrey Sands Kilpatrick. It had been done two months before he'd left for the Air Force, at their father's request.

He was seated in one of the large high backed wing chairs, that graced the library, in a casual postion. Elbows resting on the arms of the chairs, hands together in a gesture of mock prayer. His legs were spread slightly and he seemed to slump in the chair slightly. It was the mock, sarcastic trace of the grin on his full lips that had caught her attention.

"He didn't want the portrait done." A soft voice said from the doorway of the library.

Miranda turned to see Antony in the door. He came in, shutting the door behind him. "It looks like it." Miranda said softly, looking back at the painting.

Antony smiled slightly. "And Da wasn't all to much pleased with him for the...mockery, but he knew he couldn't get Sheldon to sit for a second one, so..."Antony gestured it off as he came over, studying the portrait himself.

"He looks like your mother..." Miranda said softly.

Antony nodded. "Yeah, he ended up taking more after her then Da..."

"Well, at least he's handsome." Antony laughed at Miranda's remark.

"I don't know," She said softly, "I like it." She remarked over the painting.

Antony looked back at it. "Yeah, so do I." He answered her, softly himself. He always had liked it.

"So, how are you, Mir?" He asked her.

"Ready to come back to work." She answered. For six years, she'd worked as Antony's privet secretary, that was how she'd met her husband, Antony's brother, Danny.

"Good, cause I've got no organization in my office what so ever." Antony replied.

Miranda laughed. "You never have." She replied.

Then she grew seriously. "How long is it going to take?" Danny had told her, he was headed for Mexico, but not the details, which aggravated Miranda deeply.

Antony sighed. "A few weeks at the most, I'll be coming back after a couple of days."

Miranda looked at him. "What's this all about, Antony? And don't lie to me, please. I'm family now, I can take the truth."

Antony turned his eyes to Miranda looked at her for a long time. She was a very attractive young woman, tall, slender. Dark auburn hair and blue green eyes.

Antony sighed and shifted his position. "I'm sending Danny down there to...round up...the man that wronged Sheldon."

Miranda wrinkled her nose in thought. "Wronged how? I mean, I thought things between you and Danny and Sheldon were...not all that good?"

Antony smiled grimly at her subtlety. "I'll give you the short version." He said. "Sheldon works for the CIA," He saw her eyes widen. "He was on a job in Mexico, when he got caught. They removed his eyes."

Her eyes widened more. "Oh, that's terrible! But how did you find out about this?"

"An old friend of mine came to see me. He used to work with Sheldon, he knew about it."

"So...you're in contact with Sheldon?" Miranda asked. Antony nodded.

"Well, I guess that means there'll be another place at the Christmas table this year." She said with a slight smile.

"Three new places." Antony answered. Miranda raised an eyebrow. "Sheldon married, and he has a three year old daughter." Antony explained.

"Oh! Well, that's good." She said softly.

Antony grinned. "I've yet to meet his wife, but..."

"How is it...Sheldon started working for the CIA, I mean...wouldn't his family connection present a problem?"

"Most cases, yes, but Sheldon changed his last name to his second middle name, and hid any connection to this family."

"Oh..." She muttered, thoughtful.

They were interrupted by Danny. "Hey, Cookie," Danny said, coming in, and using their mother's old nickname for Antony, much to Antony's annoyance.

"What's Danny Boy?" Antony replied.

Danny came up behind Miranda wrapping his arms around her waist, resting them, just above the bulge of her six month pregnant belly. "I've got a small problem..." Danny replied.

Antony raised an eyebrow. "What kind of problem?"

"It involves getting my equipment over the boarder..." Danny said with a certain tone. Antony sighed. Danny grinned at Antony's sigh.

"As if you can't think of a few things..." Antony replied.

"Well, I can, but one involves going UNDER the boarder." Danny replied with a grin.

Antony shook his head. "Danny, I think we can call in a few favors, you know."

"Yeah, I know I know. I just thought I'd do it the fun way." Danny remarked, still grinning.

* * *

Danny made the arrangements. Miranda watched him from the bed and when he got off the phone, he went over to the cd player and put a cd in, turning Flogging Molly's Drunken Lullabies up. Miranda shook her head. She'd heard Antony listening to Nickleback's Silver Side Up earlier and marveled at the different tastes in music the two brother's had, and wondered just what kind of taste in music Sheldon had. 

Danny went over to the window and stood, looking out for a long time as he lit a cigarette, thinking of the coming events.

"You okay, Danny?" Miranda asked her from her spot.

Danny looked over at her. "I'm fine, baby, just thinking."

"About?"

"Business." Danny replied simply.

Miranda continued to watch him. "Do you want to do this Danny? This is for Sheldon..."

Danny sighed. "Sheldon and I have...had our difference in the past, Miranda, but he's still my baby brother... And if it's one thing I've learned in this business, family means everything, even when you haven't spoken for a long time. And who knows, I've changed, maybe he has too and we can put the past behind us."

Miranda smiled slightly. "According to Antony, he's changed." She said to him.

"So I've heard, got himself hitched."

Miranda gave Danny a look. "You got yourself hitched, and your wife, pregnant, thank you."

Danny gave her a cocky grin. "That's the way I wanted it." He extinguished his cigarette and came over to her, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her off the bed, kissing her.

Miranda wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him back. "I love you Danny, just don't forget that." She said seriously.

Danny smiled slightly. "Love you too, Miranda."

* * *

The next morning, Sands and Cerise went back to the pent house. Letty was sitting on the couch with Lily when they came in. Lily jumped off the couch and ran over to Cerise, who picked her up, kissing her on the cheek. "Were you good?" Cerise asked her. 

Letty grinned from her spot, "She was an absolute doll." Letty told her. Cerise smiled.

"Where's everyone else?" Sands asked.

Letty hesitated. "Mostly still asleep..." She said softly. "But Luke and Logan left a little while ago to have a look around."

"Good." Sands replied, heading towards the kitchen.

When he'd disappeared, Letty looked at Cerise. "Is everything okay?" She asked softly.

Cerise smiled slightly. "Everythings okay now. We just had to come to an understanding."

"Good, cause we were, well you know, we were all worried about the fight...I mean, Sarah said she'd never seen you two fight like that."

Cerise snorted softly and looked at Letty. "Sarah's never seen us fight at all. We don't do it in front of other people. And that was not the WORST we can do. We're not perfect, Letty. But we do love eachother dearly."

Letty smiled slightly. "As it should be. So you two...fight alot?"

Cerise rolled her eyes. "No, we argue a lot, but we've only fought like that, maybe...four or five times, that was the second time, since we got back together last year." Cerise said, thinking about the first time, after they'd escaped from the hospital, only weeks after he'd lost his eyes.

Sands came back from the kitchen with a cup of coffee in one hand and a stack of stapled papers in the other and headed down the hall. Cerise looked around the corner of the couch to watch him.

He stopped at Sarah and Letty's door first, and more or less kicked it open. "Get your ass up Darcy, we've got work." He ordered. Cerise shook her head, looking back at Letty, who grimaced.

Sands went down to Ryan's room and kicked his door open. They heard a yelp. "Let's move it, Douglas! You've slept in long enough." Sands snapped.

Sarah came stumbling out of the bedroom in her pjs and looked at Letty and Cerise for an explanation. Both girls shrugged silently in reply. Sarah scowled at Sands as he came back down the hall, taking a drink from his cup. He flashed her a sarcastic grin as he passed her, going over to the desk.

Ryan came shuffling down the hall, yawning, his hair a complete mess. "What time is it?" He asked.

"Time for you to get your ass up." Sands answered.

Sarah continued to scowl at him. It was obvious she was still angry at him for the night before. Cerise shook her head, hugging Lily.

"I've got your assignments." Sands said. "Darcy, I suggest you get dressed, you're to report to the British Embassy. There'll be a man there, Stewert Wilson, who'll be waiting for you. You report to him, he'll have the rest of the details."

"One of ours?" Sarah asked tartly.

"One of Doddson's." Sands answered, not evening looking at her. "Douglas, you're to report to the American Embassy, I want you established in communications center. One of the Company boys, Preston will be waiting for you."

Ryan sighed and turned and headed down the hall.

"Letty, you're to remain here, for the twins to report back to. Lily will be staying here, so." He didn't have to explain further.

Letty nodded.

"And what will you two be doing?" Sarah asked him scathingly.

Sands looked at her this time, but didn't raise his head from looking at the paper, his 'gaze' filtered through the hair that hung in his face.. "Straight to the office, Darcy." He said with a wicked grin. Cerise sighed. "You've got your orders, Darcy, hop to it." He added briskly when Sarah didn't move..

Sarah flipped him off as she headed back down the hall.

Cerise stood with Lily. "I'm going to change, Sheldon." He nodded, but was looking at the paper. Cerise sighed and took Lily to their room. She helped Lily change from her pjs and told her to behave for Letty. Then Cerise changed into a sharp business suit, and pinned up her hair, quickly applying a bit of makeup.

She walked with Lily back to the front room. Sarah had already left and Ryan was preparing to leave.

"Don't worry about it, Jeff." Letty was telling Sands. "I'll take care of everything." Letty flashed him a confident smile.

Sands shook his head slightly, grabbing his jacket, pulling it over a flashy novelty t-shirt that was yellow, with red letters spelling out 'I do what my rice crispies tell me to do!'

Cerise caught sight of the shoulder holster, before the lose jacket hid it.

"I don't know how long this will take, so don't wait up." He told Letty, putting the papers in the pocket of the jacket.

Letty nodded, "Go already!" She waved them out.


	13. American Psycho

Author's Note: This chapter was a lot of fun to write! Thanks to my loyal readers and any of the new ones! Enjoy!

* * *

They hit the streets in the cold morning air, the clouds still very gray and the smell of more rain in the air. 

"What's the papers?" Cerise asked him as they stopped at the corner.

Sands took them from his pocket and handed them to Cerise. "My 'temporary' orders from Doddson." Sands said. "I'm here in Prague on probation, for assault of a fellow officer in the Langley offices and am to report to Director Roth."

Cerise read through the pages and frowned. "He's got you listed here as a liability and danger to others...a walking time bomb."

Sands gave a half sarcastic grin. "Well, aren't I?" He asked her, as they waited for a taxi.

"Not this bad. I mean, according to this, the officer you assaulted is still in critical condition and you're here in Prague as time out while they investigate the matter. Roth'll probably have you at desk duty!"

"Which is the prefect place to make connections. It gets better, check out your orders."

Cerise flipped the pages and her eyes widened. "DOCTOR Quinn? I know NOTHING about Psychology!" She looked at Sands.

Sands grinned a crooked grin at her. "Your mother was an actress, was she not?"

"Yes, so?" Cerise snapped back.

"Then act the part, sugarlips. Besides, check out your credentials." Cerise turned to the next page. "You're very high on the rank and well respected. And you're here, to evaluate me." Sands grinned brazenly at her.

"Watch yourself, then Sheldon, or I may take some liberties." Cerise replied, separating the two sets of papers.

Sands took his orders back and stuffed them in his pocket and hailed down a taxi. "Just one more thing to get revenge on." Sands replied in a seductive tone, in her ear, as he opened the door for her. Cerise blushed but got into the taxi with out a reply.

* * *

When they arrived at the CIA's HQ in Prague, Sands lit a cigarette, before they went through the door. He set off the metal detectors at once, flashing Cerise a wicked grin as Security officers rushed forward from all sides. 

"Don't move!" One of them ordered, glaring at Sands.

Sands drew a drag from his cigarette and regarded the man. "I've got business here." He said blankly.

"Remove your firearm, THEN we'll see about this 'business' of yours." The man ordered. He was tall and powerfully built, with black hair and an ugly scar on his left cheek.

"No, I don't think so." Sands replied boredly.

"I said remove your firearm. You're not entering this building until you do so."

"Fuck you." Sands replied.

"Then we have no choice, but to apprehend you," The man said, nodding to two other men. They began moving forward.

Sands dropped his cigarette on the marble floor and snubbed it out with the toe of his boot. Cerise looked around the lobby, every one was frozen in place, watching. The men moved closer to Sands, one taking a pair of handcuffs out of his back pocket.

"Turn around and put your hands on the wall." The man ordered.

Sands did so, turning and putting his hands on the wall, spreading his legs slightly. "Aren't ya supposed to read me my rights, now officer?" He asked sarcastically as the man with the handcuffs began to search him.

Cerise gave Sands a sharp look, which he returned with a confident smile. The man began feeling up the inside of his legs. "Whoa, hey! Watch the hands, buster!" Sands replied, in mock alarm.

Cerise sighed. If Sands was trying for the part, he was succeeding.

The man ignored him and began patting down his chest. Then the man went to reach for Sands' gun. It was a lightening quick move. Sands spun, driving his knee into the man's groin, shoving him away from him. The other men lunged. Sands threw punches left and right, before the man who had spoken the first time, drove his billy club into the back of Sands' knees, dropping Sands to the floor. One of the men put all his weight on Sands, forcing him on the floor on his stomach and jerked his arms behind his back, handcuffing him.

But that still didn't stop Sands as they jerked him to his feet. He began fighting, kicking hard at every man around him. "You son of a bitches!" He yelled loudly. "Let me go, fuckers!" The men struggled to drag him. Sands kicked and twisted, continuing to yell and scream. "I know my fucking rights! You pigs!"

One man went to grab him by the shoulder, but his arm slipped and he instead accidently grabbed Sands around the mouth, which Sands retaliated by biting down on the man's hand hard. Cerise grimaced at the man's howl of pain.

But then she saw Scarface slip up behind Sands, with his billy club, raised. "No!" She suddenly cried out, starting to move forward. Sands' head shot up in her direction, but it was to late. Scarface drove the hilt of the club down hard and sharp on the back of Sands' head.

"Fuckers!" Sands hissed dangerously, before going limp in the other guards' arms.

"Fucking prick." Scarface said with a satisfied grin. His men began dragging Sands down a hall.

Cerise was furious. Trembling, she stormed over to the guard. "What the bloody fucking hell was that for?" She demanded angrly.

The man looked at her blankly. "Listen miss, I don't know where you think you are..."

"I know perfectly well where I am! And I'm here to see Director Roth, and so is that man!" Cerise snapped, pointing down the hall to the guards that were dragging Sands.

"Really?" Scarface said boredly.

"Yes! That was Officer SJ Sands." Cerise crossed her arms.

"And you are?" The man asked.

"Doctor Rebecca Quinn." She replied, holding her ground.

Scarface snorted. "Well if you'll come with me, Dr. Quinn, we'll see if we can't get this worked out." He said, turning on his heel and heading in the direction the guards had taken Sands. Cerise glared at him, but followed.

* * *

They dropped an unconscious Sands in a chair, before leaving Cerise alone with Scarface. "Would you like a chair, Dr.Quinn?" The man asked, pulling up a chair. Cerise said nothing but sat. "My name is Officer Lachlan." The man introduced himself. "I'm head of security." 

"I sort of figured that one." Cerise replied scarcasticly.

The man smirked sourly. "I'll just call Director Roth down here, and we'll see if we can't get this cleared up." Lachlan turned to the phone and picked it up.

Cerise looked over at Sands who was slumped in the chair. But it was the slight stain of red on the back of the chair that bothered her, and she got up from her chair, going behind his. She lifted the shoulder length hair from the back of his head and swore. There was a good cut on the back of his skull.

"Director Roth has never heard of an Officer Sands, nor a Dr. Quinn." Lachlan said, putting down the phone, folding his hands on the desk before him and smiling contemptuously at Cerise.

Cerise had grabbed a hand full of tissue from the box on the desk and was attempting to clean the cut when the man said this. "What the bloody hell are you talking about?" She asked him, near a sneer.

"I'm talking about, there's no record of either of you. And we do, do very extensive back ground checks." Lachlan stood from his seat. Cerise watched him as he went over to the door and locked it. Then he came back to his desk and sat down, opening a drawer. He reached in and took something out, sitting it on the desk. Cerise looked down and saw he'd placed Sands' gun there, his hands going back to resting nealy folded on the desk behind it.

Cerise rolled her eyes. "You plan on executing us right here?" She asked him sarcastically. The man got up, laughing heartily, coming around the side of the desk, to stand in front of her. Cerise stood straight, a hand on Sands' shoulder.

The man stopped laughing, smiling at Cerise. Then the mood suddenly changed. He struck out, faster then she could block it, and the man back handed her across the face. Cerise stumbled back.

"I might just do that." The man sneered, "But before I do, I want to know who the fuck you really are!"

Cerise stared at him, feeling the slight trickle of blood on her lip. she wiped it off tentively with the back of her hand.

Lachlan leaned forward, and started to reach out for her. "Your friend here could put up a real show, but that don't mean shit. Now you're going to tell me who you really are, and what you're doin' here, or I start drawin' blood." Lachlan sneered, his fingers closing around her upper arm in a vice like grip, bringing a whimpered cry from Cerise. He began dragging her towards him, when he stopped suddenly.

There was a sudden pressure against his groin He looked down to find his own gun, from his hip holster pressing against his balls. Held by the man he thought was unconscious. When he didn't let go of Cerise's arm, the gun was pressed harder in to his groin.

Swallowing, he let go of Cerise's arm and heard a truly horribly frightening and dangerous voice come from the man slumped in the chair before him. "Touch her again, motherfucker, and I'll give you a whole fucking new religion." Lachlan took a small step back.

But it wasn't far enough for Sands. He leaned forward, and shoved the man back over the top of the desk, with the gun, before getting to his own feet. He leaned over Lachlan, keeping the gun where he had it.

"I don't know who you think you are, but you're not going to get away with this!" Lachlan hissed.

"I know exactly who I am, and I will get away with it." Sands replied back, still speaking in that soft and dangerous tone. With his other hand, he pulled his ID from his back pocket and flipped it open in a smooth movement, before pressing it into the man's face. "CIA Officer Sheldon Jeffrey Sands, fucker." Sands hissed into the man's ear.

The man went white, and swallowed. "Now if I were you, you fucking punta, I'd apologize to the lady." Lachlan opened his mouth, but no sound came out. Sands shoved harder.

"What was that, I can't hear you..." Sands said, leaning closer, a truly evil smile on his lips.

"I'm sorry!" Lachlan choked out.

"Is that the best you can do? Say I'm sorry, Dr Quinn, can you forgive me?" Sands ordered. Lachlan glared darkly at him. Sands slipped his ID back into his back pocket, and switched the gun to the other hand, which he moved under Lachlan's chin. But if Lachlan thought this was safer, he was very wrong.

Sands reached down with his other hand and grabbed the man's balls, squeezing hard, and began to twist. "Say it." Sands hissed in his most dangerous tone, twisting more. Lachlan let out a cry of pain. "Are you ready to say it?" Sands asked innocently., twisting in the other direction.

"Y-y-yes!" Lachlan screamed in pain.

"Good boy, now say it." Sands stopped twisting, but didn't let go.

"I...I'm sorry Dr Quinn. Can you forgive me?" But Lachlan screamed in pain again, as Sands twisted once more.

"You forgot to say PLEASE." Sands said, grinning in wicked amusement.

"PLEASE!" Lachlan screamed in pain.

Cerise who had been standing by the chair, with her hands over her mouth, staring at the entire scene wide eyed, nodded furiously. "Yes!" She said. "I forgive you! Let him go, Officer Sands!" She ordered.

Sands cocked his head to the side and barely turned it slowly, to look at her. Cerise felt the shiver run up her spin at the the nefarious and evil look on his face and as he asked in that innocent tone. "Do you really want me to, Dr?"

"Yes!" She breathed out.

Sands looked back at the man on the desk, whom he was leaning over, sighed in a mock pout and grinned nastily at him. The man stared back at him wide eyed and frightened. "Now, was that so hard?" Sands asked the man, in reference to making Lachlan apologize. Lachlan furiously shook his head no. "Good. Good boy!" Sands leaned over and kissed the man on the forehead before letting him go and shoving away from him.

The man sat up slowly on the desk staring at Sands as Sands took a couple steps back. Sands pushed the hair back from his face with his empty hand and cocked his head to the side. "You'd best be glad she's still in the room." He told Lachlan. "I'm to much of a gentleman to cut off your prick, how ever small it is, and shove it down your throat, in front of her."

"You son of..." Lachlan who seemed to have regained his arrogant courage, turned on the desk to reach for Sands' gun, when the bullet sank through his hand.

Lachlan screamed in pain, stumbling off the desk, and whirling to look at Sands. as he held his hand.

"Try it again, mother fucker! I'd like an excuse to waste your pig ass." Sands hissed, holding the smoking gun, sight trained right between Lachlan's eyes.

The door flew open at that moment, breaking the lock. "What the fuck is going on here!" A deep, powerful voice asked.

Cerise turned to look, but Sands never took his attentions off Lachlan who was doubled over, holding his bleeding hand. The man who'd spoken was a tall, broad shouldered, older man, with short white hair, and a matching white goatee. He wore an eye patch over one eye, and looked very out of place in the business suit, and he had a gun in one hand, and a cigar in the other.

He quickly scanned the room, before his gaze came back to rest on Sands and Lachlan. "Lachlan, what the hell is going on!" He demanded.

"Director Roth, this...this fucking psychopath, he...he assaulted me! I was...I was tryin' to protect the woman here..."

"Oh, you fucking liar!" Sands snapped before Lachlan could finish.

Roth moved into the room, there were more officers behind him. "Don't lie to me, Lachlan. I don't like liars." Roth said, glaring dangerously at Lachlanwith his good eye.

Lachlan blinked, staring at Roth wide eyed. "Sir! I wasn't..."

"Then why does the young lady have blood on her lip?" Roth demanded.

Lachlan looked at Cerise then back at Roth. "I...This man..."

"Lachlan, I know perfectly well who this man is. Put the gun away Jeff."

Cerise blinked, looking at Sands wide eyed.

Sands sighed, in a mock exasperated way. "If I must." He said with a slump of his shoulders. His fingers easily slipping the safety back on the gun. He tossed it on to the desk, before picking up his own weapon and putting it back in his holster.

"Lachlan, report down to the infirmary and get that taken care of. Then report up to me, we're going to have a long serious talk about the way you treat visitors. And don't think I don't know about what happened in the lobby." Roth sneered. Then he turned to Sands. "Come with me, Jeff, you too young lady."

With that Roth strolled from the room. Sands grinned at Cerise and nodded after the man, following him. Cerise hurried to keep up. The crowd in the hall parted, the officers that had been behind Roth holstering their weapons.

"Return to your posts, boys. Toshiro, come here."

A tall Japanese man came forward, he was handsome, with a strong defined face, although, one could see a hint of western features in him. And his eyes were a deep blue. His black hair was past the shoulders and in a pony tail. He wore a black suit, and moved with a fluid, cat like grace. He said not a word in reply to Roth.

"Take these two up to my office and stay with them until I return." Roth indicated to Sands and Cerise. The man nodded silently and turned, heading for the elevators, with out even looking to see if Sands and Cerise followed.


	14. Aftermath

Authors Note: something about this chapter is bugging the hell out of me, but I'll leave it for now until I figure out what it is. Rather or not Kenji will be a major or minor player is yet to resolved. and I rather like Roth.

* * *

They entered the elevator in silence and the man, Toshiro, pushed a button. He stood slightly in front of Sands, with his hands together, resting in front of him, his feet slightly spread. The doors slid shut and the elevator began rising, the silence still among them, before the man let out a fierce cry and turned with grace, swinging his arm around and out, in a move to crush Sands' wind pipe.

But Sands had expected this move and stepped to the side and back one pace, grabbing the man's arm, his own feet spread slightly, but firmly on the ground. He grinned widely at the man, who blinked, before Sands twisted the man's arm behind his back and pushed him into the side wall.

Sands let go of the man, who straightened himself, laughing warmly. He grinned at Sands. "Well if wonders never cease." The man said, before coming towards Sands.

"How are you, Kenji?" Sands asked the man, laughing himself, before the two men embrace, patting eachother's back.

"I'm good, I'm good." The man replied, letting go of Sands and leaning against the wall. "But never did I think you'd caught that."

Sands grinned cockily. "I've improved." He replied.

The man laughed more and looked at Cerise who was staring at them. "Pardon us, ma'am, if we startled you." He said to her with a quick elegant half bow.

"I..." Cerise started to speak and looked at Sands with a raised eyebrow. Sands laughed softly, taking her hand and bringing it to his lips, kissing it.

"It's all right, Cerise. This is Kenji Toshiro, an old friend of sorts." Sands told her.

"Old friend!" Kenji asked with a look. "Is that all?"

Sands chuckled. "All right, all right, more like adopted brother of sorts. I studied under his father, Kaemon,when I was...stationed in Japan."

"Yeah, the fool thought he could learn Bushido, in a year." Kenji said with a laugh.

"Bushido? The way of the samurai?" Cerise asked, looking at Kenji.

Kenji looked at her, impressed. "You know Bushido, do you?" He asked her.

"Well, I know what it means...history is my passion." She said, a slight blush in her cheeks.

Kenji looked back at Sands. "Who is this delightful and beautiful woman?"

"This, Kenji, is my wife, Cerise."

"You got married and didn't invite me?" Kenji asked, giving Sands a look.

"I didn't know where to find you, or I would have." Sands replied, with a tone.

Kenji chuckled. "You're right, I've been undercover, for a long time now." He turned to Cerise, and gave a very formal bow. "Honored to meet you, Cerise-Chan." Cerise blushed,

"And you." She said softly.

"What do you mean, you've been under cover?" Sands asked him.

Kenji sighed, leaning against the wall, hands in his pockets. "I was on a three year clandestine operation in Hong Kong, up until eight months ago. It went rather bad, I lost some good men, and got reassigned here." Kenji made a face. "Although, I heard ALL about your little adventures in Mexico." Kenji gave him a look.

Sands frowned, he wondered silently, just how much Kenji had heard. But if Kenji knew, he was making no sign that he did, or even remotely noticing the sunglasses. Which told Sands all he needed to know. Kenji knew he was blind.

"So, here to give us a hand with our rat infestation, are you?" Kenji asked as they got off the elevator and headed down a plush carpeted hall. Sands looked at him. Kenji winked and opened the door to a large office, bowing them in.

When they were in, he closed and locked the door. "We can speak freely here, it's sound and bug proof." S

ands nodded, before saying. "So then you know what I'm really here for?"

Kenji nodded. "Roth is a long time friend and ally of Doddson. It was he who went to Doddson to get help, wanted Doddson's best man for the job, no one to fuck it up." Kenji grinned and winked at Cerise.

"So how do YOU know about it?" Sands asked him, crossing his arms over his chest.

Kenji chuckled. "I happen to be Roth's right hand man. There's just a couple of us who are trying to keep the CIA together in this part of the world." Kenji said with a sigh. "So, welcome to the club, little Rai." Kenji said, with a grin, using the nickname his father, Kaeman, gave Sands, holding out his hand. Sands sighed, then took his hand.

"I'd love for this business to END." Sands said, sitting down in a chair, next to Cerise.

"I think we all would." Kenji said, leaning back in his chair.

"Well, unless we really know who's behind the whole business, I don't think we're going to get any closer to putting an end to it." Cerise pointed out.

"True," Kenji agreed. "And not one of us is closer to knowing who the head of this one is. He or she is keeping himself very well hidden in the shadows."

"Don't they always?" Sands muttered from his place, digging his pack of cigarettes out from his pocket.

"Always." Kenji added, holding out his hand, snapping his fingers and motioning for Sands to hand him a cigarette.

Sands tossed a cigarette at Kenji before the lighter followed. "This is something we're going to have to take one step at a time before we get to the finish." Sands replied taking a long drag off his cigarette as Kenji dug around for an ashtray and turned on the exhaust fan.

"Like old times then." Kenji said with a grin and a wink.

"Much like it was durning the cold world. 'Trust NO ONE' Especially your own men."

Kenji shook his head. "Right, you know I might not have been BORN in the US but I do have a healthy respect for the damned country."

"Don't feel bad." Sands said, motioning to Cerise with his cigarette. "Cherry here wasn't born in the US either."

"Britain" She muttered. "It's not just the USA though," She said, shifting in her chair. "Who ever it is who's masterminding this, understands that if the CIA goes down, the intelligence around the entire world is going to be effected! The chances of another world war breaking out get higher." She pointed out.

"Which makes me think, that it is the actual goal of who ever IS behind this." Kenji agreed with her.

"Yeah, except this time, World War 3 would include nucs and well, we know how that's going to turn out." Sands said, tapping off his ashes.

Kenji did the same. "Yeah, these guys invade those guys, those guys invade these guys, Russians push the little red button, Iraq pushes the little red button, America pushes the little red button, the earth is going to be completely destroyed, and for what! What the fuck is this asshole going to be left with, if the most powerful countries in the world destroy eachother?" Kenji asked.

"Maybe that's what he wants, but yeah, what's going to be left? Unless, and he really would have to have, he's seen the outcome, knows what's going to happen, and this is only plan A and he's yet to put Plan B into action." Sands pointed out.

"Then we damned well better stop him before Plan A is complete, or find out what the fuck Plan B is." A voice from the door said. The three turned to find Roth in the door way. Kenji lept to his feet, putting his cigarette out. "Sit down Toshiro." Roth instructed him. Kenji popped back down.

Roth walked between them, and to his desk, sitting down behind it and opening a cigar box. He took his time to trim the end and light it, settling back in the large leather chair to survey the three of them, puffing thoughtfully on the cigar before he spoke. "That was quite a show you put on down stairs, Officer Sands." Roth said, a slight hint of a grin on his lips.

Sands grinned deviously, "Thank you." He replied.

"Well recovered from the bit of bad luck in Mexico then?" Roth asked him, peering at him thoughtfully.

"As well as can be, sir." Sands answered through clenched.

"Good, cause you're gonna need to be." Roth answered. "Doddson informed me you're the best for this job. I know your reputation, we've worked together in the past. But Jeff, I've only got so much power here to keep you out of internal trouble, so cool it with the shows." Roth told him.

Sands gave a mock pout and sighed theatrically. "If I must."

"Ms. Stone, pleasure to finally meet you. Your reputation precedes you." Roth said to Cerise,

":Thank you." She replied softly with a weary grin. Roth puffed on the cigar silently and thoughtfully, before replying.

Finally, he sat forward in his chair. "Alright, here is how it's gonna be."


	15. Back in the Heat

Author's Note: Hey, guess what! El's back! Maybe this time around i'll get a better handle of writing him. Also, yes, another NEW character... And this chapter is basically just Danny, Antony, El, Eric and Marie...

Thanks to my readers, new and old! Thanks to Scarlett Burns who talked me into the doing this story to begin with.

**Disclaimer:** **I don't own El, he belongs to his respected creators, I just borrowed him for awhile. I don't own Eric Cameron, he belongs to Scarlett Burns. **

* * *

Danny glared up at the sun with a sour scowl. "Fucking sun, to fucking cheerful." He grumbled, hearing a laugh behind him as Antony came up to his side. 

"You're a delightful traveling companion, you know that Danny Boy." Antony said with a grin. Danny just glared back at him. Antony started past him and elbowed him playfully in the shoulder. "Come on Danny Boy, we've got business to attend to." Antony said, heading towards the rental car.

Danny followed dutifully, dropping his black bag in the back seat of the car as Antony stuck his in the trunk. He got into the drivers seat and waited for Danny to get in. Danny scanned the area out of habit, before getting into the passengers side.

As Antony pulled out, Danny was already loading one of his guns. Antony glanced his way momentarily. "What ya think we're gonna hit trouble first thing?" He asked his younger brother.

"This is Mexico, anything could fucking happen." Danny replied simply, holstering the gun in a shoulder holster under his jacket. "Look what happened to Sheldon." He pointed out with a gesture.

Antony looked over at him. "That was different."

"Yeah, how? He got his fucking eyes ripped out by the cartel."

"He was working for the CIA...it's a bigger risk."

Danny snorted, "One of the lowest professions a guy could have..."

Antony was still looking at him with a bemused expression.

"Antony, drive the fucking car or let me!" Danny snapped irritably, pointing to the road, before slouching in his seat. Antony snickered but turned his attentions back to the road.

"So where are we going?" Danny asked after a few minutes of silence.

"We're going straight to Guitar Town." Antony answered, "To meet up with Sheldon's friend and contact."

Danny raised an eyebrow. "Guitar Town... whimsical little name for it. And who's this friend anyway?"

"I don't know, they call him El, as in The." Antony answered vaguely.

"I know what it means, Thank you." Danny sneered, rolling his eyes again, and getting another snicker from Antony. "Oh I'm glad you find this all funny...Cookie."

"Oh God, Danny, DON'T call me that." Antony retorted, rolling his own eyes now. "Or I'm going to have to give you severe noogies."

"Oh, I'd like to see you try." Danny returned.

"I have before, and I'll do it again." Antony said with authority. "Don't make me reach over there and smack you."

Danny stuck his tongue out at his brother and turned his gaze on the scenery. "How can anyone stand it around here? The whole place looks like one of those, one horse towns, ya know."

"I suppose you get used to it. Because if the goverment stations you here, you've got no choice." Antony answered in reference to Sheldon.

Danny sighed dramatically. "I just don't...you know how I HATE G-Men, Antony."

"You still hate your baby brother, Daniel?"

"No...just think he's a major idiot." Danny muttered, arms crossed.

"I'm sure Sheldon will be thrilled to learn that. He probably thinks the same of you." Antony replied evenly.

"So what about this wife of his, we know anything?"

"Not much more then the fact she's British, was formerly his partner and is the mother of his daughter." Antony answered.

"And that's another thing," Danny said with a gesture. "That kid's gonna need some MAJOR therapy."

Antony snorted. "And your's wont?"

Danny just grinned brazenly at him. "I doubt it. I'm a much better father then that."

"The kid's not even born, yet, Danny. Don't count your chickens before the eggs have hatched." Antony replied, shaking his head. Danny just continued to grin, staring out the window. It wasn't that he didn't want to avenge Sheldon, it's just that he didn't particularly like having to come all the way to Mexico to do it.

* * *

Antony pulled the car to a stop after a few hours, and both he and Danny stared through the windshield for a long moment at the vision that was Guitar Town. "They weren't kidding when they called it Guitar Town..." Danny muttered with a raised eyebrow. 

"Right..." Antony agreed, before shaking his head and undoing the seat belt. Both he and Danny got out, scanning the area. "So where do we meet this El?" Danny asked.

Antony pointed to their left, to the large fort, standing deserted. "The roof top up there."

Danny shaded his eyes with his hand looking up at the roof of the fort. "I dont' see anyone..."

Antony shook his head. "I have a feeling he's there, and watching us. Put your hand down little brother." Antony said, before starting in the direction of the fort. Danny debated grabbing his bag from the back seat, then shrugged, locked the doors of the car and followed after Antony.

They climbed their way up the stairs in silence, both thinking on the whole agenda. Antony wasn't sure what was going to happen when they got ahold of Dr. Guevara. He was pretty certain they'd have to leave him some what alive for Sheldon's sake. But he figured Danny would be at his most creative with torture and not kill the man to quickly. They came out in to the sunlight of the top of the fort and wondered over to the railing, looking out over Guitar Town.

"Nice view." Danny remarked, leaning on the railing, enjoying the slight breeze blowing through his hair.

"Mhmm." Antony replied distractedly.

They both turned at the sound of footsteps, mixed with a jingling. From out of the shadows of a near by tower, came a man, walking slowly towards them, he was carrying a guitar, freshly made.. He was dressed completely in black, a handsome Mexican with shoulder length black hair. The jingle was identified by the chains on the side of his pants and the spurs on his boots. It didn't take a genius to see the man was one of those silent but deadly types. He stopped, ten or so feat in front of them, black eyes studing them quickly and deeply. Danny stared back at him, straightening himself, hand straying closer to his side. Antony held out a hand, stilling his brother's arm and turned to the man.

"I take it, you're El Mariachi." He said simply in a soft tone. The man didn't responde for a long moment, but then nodded slowly.

"And you are?" He asked in an equally soft voice to Antony's tone,. stilling studing them.

"Antony Kilpatrick, this is my younger brother, Danny." Antony replied, motioning to Danny, who cracked a crazy grin.

El's eyebrow shot up, as he stared at Danny, but he spoke to Antony. "Then you are the men Sands asked me to meet."

Danny snorted. "He asked!" Danny rolled his eyes.

The action and question actually brought a slight smile to El's lips. "Ask may not have been the right word to use." He replied, his English tainted with a spanish accent.

"He's got charming people skills, doesn't he?" Danny added, grinning again.

"Profound." El answered, moving to the railing not far from them, looking out over the area.

"Oh he may be a little rough around the edges, but." Antony shrugged, not finishing. El glanced at him.

"He is a complicated man. Enigmatic, I think is the word to correctly use." El answered, turning his eyes back to the town.

"How long have you know him?" Antony asked, conversationally.

"Little less then a year." El answered. "He...approached me nearly six months ago, to work for him. Both on the Barillo disaster, and to rescue his daughter."

"So you two friends or something?" Danny asked from his spot.

El snorted. "Friends...no, I am...respective of him. I am...dating his team mate, Sarah." He replied a slight trace of a grin on his lips at the mention of Sarah.

"So then why'd you agree to help us?" Danny asked with a puzzling look.  
"I owed Sands a favor...for him helping me rid my village two months ago of some cartel members. That and...I'm rather fond of his wife, Cerise. I like the way she handles him." El said, grinning a little more.

"Well, every man needs a keeper." Antony said, grinning himself, looking up at the sky. "The best are women who love us to much to let us destory our lives."

El nodded to this. "I don't know why...but she does. And it..is good for him." El turned, propping the guitar up against the railing and regarded Antony. "Where do you wish to start the search?"

"Then Sands informed you of what we're doing here?" Antony checked.

El nodded. "Dr. Guevara. A rather evil man."

"I was thinking we'd start where it all happened, Culiacan." Antony said. El considered this and nodded again. "Possibly the best place to start. It was indeed the last place he was seen. Do you wish to start out now?"

Antony turned his eyes again to the sky, which was darkening slowly. He shook his head. "Best to set out in the morning."

"Good, cause I'm exhausted." Danny muttered from his spot. Both Antony and El looked at him, both strangely amused. El turned to Antony after a moment. He didn't usually do this, but he felt a morbid curiosity to know more about these friends of Sands, and Sands himself. "Then I invite you to stay at my home tonight. We can sit out early in the morning."

Antony actually smiled, and extended his hand to El. "Sounds good to me." El hesitated, wondering just what Sands had dragged him into again, but he took Antony's hand, clasping it briefly. "This way." El replied, motioning for the two to follow him.

* * *

"I gotta be crazy." Eric muttered as he loaded his bag into the trunk of the rental car. 

"Well, I can't exactly say this is the best way to conduct an investigation, especially considering you don't have clearance, and you don't even know where to start..." A sweet voice replied from in front of him.

Eric closed the trunk and looked at the young woman. Her hair was medium brown, chin length. She had fair skin and almond shapped brown eyes. Her smile was sweet, but teasing. Eric shook his head.

"Yes, and if they catch me, you're going to be in as much trouble." He pointed out, giving her a pointed look.

Marie Montgomery shrugged. "Sammy swore he'd get me off if we got into any trouble."

Eric snorted and looked at her. Marie just grinned back. "You'd better hope Sammy's got the right connections." He told her.

Marie laughed softly, getting into the car. She had recently been made part of the small team that over looked Sands' well being, the team being made up of Eric, Sammy, Mac and Sarah. She had a medical degree behind her name, and occasionally played information officer when Sarah was in the field.

Eric had come to her the day before and told her flat out, he needed her to come with him, and only her. That she could help him where others couldn't. She'd turned him down, but he'd been persistent and managed to say the one thing that convinced her with out questions, to come.

_"I need you help, to save Sands...and possibly Cerise." _

She'd buckled at that and came with him. Now they were in Mexico. "You have a plan, right?" She asked him.

"Of sorts.. yeah." Eric answered as they got into the car. "We're gonna stop off at the HQ and dig through the records. Matinzie must have put the details somewhere. He was always...sorta of fond of Jeff..." Eric said with a gesture as he backed out. Marie snorted.

"Strange contradiction of terms..." She muttered. "And if that doesn't turn out anything?" She asked him.

"Then we head to Culican. We track down witnesses...that sort of thing."

"There were no witnesses, Eric. You know that. No one saw Monterio march Sands out of that alley way. It was Rick who found Cerise there..."

"Some one HAS to know something, Marie! Somewhere!" Eric said, a slightly desperate tone to his voice."

Marie frowned and was quiet for a moment, before saying, "Eric, what he...really did do it?" She asked softly.

"I find that utter and total bullshit right now..." Eric replied. "I don't see the logic in that..."

"No...no one would... No one but Sands..." Marie muttered, looking out the window. Eric glanced at her, but said nothing.


	16. But that is MY swingline

Author's Note: Okay, it is a bit short. and I've been running on no sleep for twenty six hours so if it makes little sense...I am sorry. Anyway...a new twist, a little down time with the boys and they really shouldn't try to take Sands stapler from him any more.

Thanks to all my readers for being patient and the continued reading of this, you girls rock. Thanks to Scarlett, for the use of Eric Cameron, cause well, he helps.

* * *

El made the coffee. He was always very good at making coffee. He took a lot of care in how he made his coffe. The right amount, the right measure of coffe beans, of sugar cane, of cream. El's coffe was perfect. 

Sitting three cups on a tray, he hummed softly to himself, before picking up the tray and heading into the little living room. Danny and Antony were seated on the sofa. Danny was fidgeting, a sign he was either high, or untrusting. El guessed it was the last one.

Sitting the tray down, he took a seat in the chair opposite of the couch and watched silently as Antony took a cup, sipping the coffee. "This is damn good coffee." Antony said with a grin.

"Thank you." El replied a nod.

"That good, eh?" Danny muttered, before taking his own cup and sipping. "Hey, this is good shit."

El smiled tightly, ever so slightly and picked up the last cup, inhaling the aroma. He took a sip.

"So what did you do for Sands?" Antony asked conversationally. "I mean when he...hired you, for lack of better wording."

El sit his cup down. Danny had downed most of his and was lighting a cigarette. "At which time?" El asked softly.

"The first time." Antony replied, sipping his coffee.

"Sands had me...protect the president." El said simply, knowing it wasn't exactly what Sands had told him to do, but knowing it was exactly what Sands had expected him to do, the sneaky bastard. El smiled slightly and tightly at that thought.

"What about the second time?" Danny asked., eyeing El.

El glanced at him. "Sands came to me to help him find and rescue his daughter from Dupre, when he had kidnapped her. I was, for lack of better wodering," He glanced at Antony, "Sands eyes."

"So then he's really blind..." Danny muttered.

"Understatement." Antony replied, giving his younger brother a look.

"Sands eyes were...literally taken from him." El said, slowly, watching their reaction carefully.

Danny growled, glaring at El. Antony gave his brother a look. "Cool it Daniel, that's what we're here over." He said, sitting down his coffee mug.

"It is amazing at how Sands has adjusted it to it." El said softly, sitting his own mug on the table.

"He's never been one to give up." Antony replied with a thin smile.

"Indeed." El replied, before falling silent.

* * *

It was well after dark when they reached their destination. Eric led the way into the alley way with a heavy duty flash light. 

"Eric, just what are we looking for?" Marie asked, following the man with an incredulous look.

"Clues." Eric answered.

Marie rolled her eyes. "It was four years ago. Any physical evidence is long gone."

"I'm not looking for physical evidence...per say." Eric answered, pausing in the middle of the alley and shinning the light around.

After a moment, he moved towards a back wall and ran his hand over the lower part. "She would have fallen here..." He moved back a few steps. First to the right. "Monterio would have stood here..." He moved to the left. "Sands here..."

Marie moved past him, catching on to what Eric was up to. "Monterio's left handed, he would have had to turn to the left to shoot her..." She said, taking a step back up against the wall. "It was a point blank shot, but it missed her heart...just under the breast...it would have taken her thirty seconds, at most to sink down the wall. Durpe said he found her on the ground..."

"Right...but even thirty seconds would have been fast enough for Sands to disarm Monterio." Eric replied, stepping the right again, the flash light on the dusty ground.

"It's relatively easy to believe he was stunned...confussed even." Marie replied, stepping up to the spot Sands would have stood in.

"Marie...Jeff, stunned and confussed? He's a killer... instinct would have taken over."

"She was his lover...wouldn't you be stunned?"

"That goes with out saying...but..." Eric trailed off thoughtfully. "I still hold out Jeff would have reacted."

"With Monterio turning the gun on him, it would have been a slow reaction if any. The world spins very slow when your world comes crashing down around..." Marie replied, looking around.

Eric shinned the light around, scanning the area. Marie was right. They were both right...in their own points.

"Has anyone considered another possibility?" Marie asked looking up after a moment and breaking the silence.

"What possibility?" Eric asked, looking back at her.

"That there was a third person in the alley. Another gunman maybe?"

"Where?"

"The roof?" Marie answered, pointing.

"It was a 22." Eric answered.

"Did any one actually see the bullet?" Marie asked. Eric suddenly realized she was right. Not one of them knew for sure if it had actually been the gun found on Sands that had put the bullet in Cerise.

"Oh fuck...Marie...you may have something."

"Find the gun...find the gun man...and we find the truth." Marie replied, nodding as she pushed a lock of mousy brown hair behind her ear.

Eric shook his head. "This is going to be more work then I thought."

"Why do you say that?" Marie asked as they started out of the alley way.

"Because we're going to have to search the serves records of the agents who were serving here at the time it happened..."

"Then I say we've got our work cut out for us." She replied.

* * *

He'd gotten the desk job, just as Cerise had predicted, not that he figured Roth would put him back in the field, with the report Doddson had sent. All about him beating the shit out of Tim Foley. Actually, Sands would LIKE to beat the shit out of Tim Foley, he STILL hadn't stopped hitting on Cerise, even indicating she could always have an affair with him. Besides, he was an arrogant asshole as far as Sands was concerned. Had his tie a little to tight. 

He kicked the trash can over as he sit down and cast a look around. Several other agents in the office were looking his way now and he cast them all an insane grin before beginning to go through the drawers of the desk.

He pulled an unsharpened pencil from the pencil drawer and shoved it in the electric sharpener just about the time some guy approached the desk. Some one Sands had rather not seen.

"Well well," Bill Hermain said, eyeing Sands. "If it ain't the Langely cowboy."

"Oh fuck you, Hermain." Sands replied simply, almost friendly as Hermain stopped at the desk.

Hermain grinned in a mocking way. "Thought a desk job would be the death of you, Sands? What'd you do to end up behind one?"

"Oh, tried to kill a fellow co worker." Sands replied, grinning insanely again.

"You're such an asshole, Sands." Hermain replied, rolling his eyes and began reaching for the stapler near by. Sands eyed his hand, twirling the newly sharpened pencil in his hand.

"That's MY stapler, Hermain..."

"Yeah, well, you're not officially a Prague officer so kiss my ass, I'm taking the stapler." His hand landed on the stapler.

But he suddenly let go of it with a howl of pain. Sands had driven the pencil through his hand. "I told you that was my fucking stapler. Keep your hands off, or you might find your eyes gouged out by it."

"You fucking psycho!" Hermain raged, gripping his hand. Security was already moving towards the two.

"Yep, that's me." Sands replied, sitting back with a cocky smirk. Security reached the desk, just as another voice spoke up.

"Officer Sands, will step into my office, please." Kenji called from the open door with a frustrated look.

"Excuse me, gentlemen." Sands said to the Security, getting up and heading into Kenji's small office.

Kenji glanced towards security and Hermain. "Hermain, head down to the infirmary. They're probably still tending to Larrson's hand..." Then he shut the door of the small but sound proof office and turned to Sands who'd lit a cigarette. "Jeff...did you HONESTLY have to do that. That was completely insane, and Roth isn't going to like it one bit!"

Sands shrugged. "There is a thin, red line between eccentricity and insanity. That thin red line is a tiny pink dot to me. Besides, he's an asshole."

Kenji gave a bemused expression to this and shook his head. "Jeff, if you keep attacking all your co-workers, you're going to end up stationed in Alaska stamping papers." Sands shuddered. "Look, I know Roth told you to keep up with the psycho appearance, but don't stab any more people with pencils." He said with a sigh.

"I'll honestly try, Kenji, but I make no absolute promises...You know, only the paranoid survive." Sands replied with a cocky grin.


	17. Hell's Fire

Author's note: This one is a bit shorter then the last, but it's setting stage for some interesting scenes...And yes, Sands reads all his orders in Barille.

Thank you to my readers.

* * *

Kenji allowed him to linger in the office with him as he did some paper work. The man looked at Sands after a few moments of silence, to seem him restlessly moving around the office, running his fingers over the shelves and walls. 

"Something bugging you, Jeff?" Kenji asked, sitting back as Sands paused the light a cigarette.

"I don't know...yes...no, I'm indefinite about that one." He said, taking a long drag, before moving over to the chair in front of the desk and flopping in it.

"Well, I have something that should put the chomp back in your bit." Kenji said, opening a bottem drawer and taking out a parchment evenlop, dropping it on the desk in front of Sands. Sands didn't move. Kenji grimaced, forgetting he couldn't EXACTLY read it...most of his orders had been coming in in braille.

Sands had manged to learn that form of reading in less then six weeks, pushing himself hard to master it.

"It is an invitation to a gala tonight. Roth wants you there. Political, ambassadors, embassy high officals. That kind of thing." Kenji told him.

"Oh, peachy keen. Think our rat will be there?" Sands replied, tapping his ashes off in the ashtray.

"Who's to say, but you may just be able to find the pay off man there. His name is Richard Grisem. He's a slippery bastard. Works for the Canadian Embassy." Kenji told him.

Sands just smoked in silence, thinking. Weighing his options, deciding what part to play. "Pass the word to Cerise, will you." He told Kenji.

"Sure thing. Better get back out THERE before Roth sees you're missing from your desk."

Sands snorted, snubbing out the cigarette and got up, heading for the door. "Desk jobs..." He shook his head in dislike.

"You'll get used to it soon enough, Jeff." Kenji told him with humor.

* * *

Cerise stalked up and down the isles of filing cabinets. Roth had given her cleareance to the records room. Although she didn't have any idea exactly what she was looking at. She been given a short list of names that held the possibility of being treasonous. She supposed the best place to start would with the first name on the list. Dukes. 

Cerise headed over the D files cabinet and yanked it open. She started thumbing the files, looking Dukes' 201 file. She found it and pulled out, but her eyes fell on a file behind and they widened. She snatched the file, that bore the name, Richard T. Dupre.

The first thing in the folder as she opened, after she sat down Dukes' on the file cabinet drawer, was a piece of paper written in red ink.

_Status: Alive, fugitive. Believed to be blind. _

Cerise snapped the folder closed, then opened it again, staring at that piece of paper. Dupre, still alive! She believed he'd bleed to death, if not burned to ashes, back in Mexico. How could he have escaped it!

Then she realized, that Sheldon obviously knew of this and hadn't bothered to tell her. She scowled, determined to give him a piece of her mind for this one. She flipped through the file, scanning the pages. Massive psychological assessments and analysis.

She heard the door open and snapped the folder shut again, looking towards the entrance. Kenji entered, shutting the door behind him and turned the lock, coming over.

"Here." He said with a slight grin, handing her the invitation. "Roth wants Jeff there tonight. You're to look out for Richard Grisem. Here's his picture." He handed her a Polaroid.

She took the picture, studing it. "Sheldon know?" She asked him, putting the picture in the envelop with invitation.

Kenji nodded. "I briefed him about it a bit ago." He looked at the folder she was holding and frowned. "Anything interesting?" He asked.

She glanced at the folder, before putting it back in it's drawer. "You could say that." She replied softly, shutting the door. "Did you know Dupre?"

"We casually met a few years ago." Kenji answered, leaning against the filing cabinets. "Didn't like him then, don't like him now. He was seen here in Prague a couple weeks ago. Since then, disappeared."

"He was seen here!" Cerise demanded. Kenji grimaced at her tone.

"Yeah, a couple of the boys identified him. Roth gave the order to pick him up, but by the time the boys got there, Durpe was gone." Kenji told her.

"He's SUPPOSED to be dead!" She hissed. "Sheldon left him to die!"

"What did he do to piss Sands off so bad? Other then LOOK like Sands...which was completely scary...they tagged him as being Sands after first. But then the contacts he met with, cleared that up. We questioned them under Truth Serum."

"He kidnapped our four year old daughter last year...and used her as bait to get to Sands...he also raped me...apparently he was insanely inlove with me..." Cerise answered softly, not looking at Kenji.

Kenji shook his head. "Yeah, I can see where that would piss Jeff off. Didn't know Jeff had any kids." He said, changing the subject slightly.

Cerise smiled ever so much, glancing at Kenji. "Our daughter, Lily Rose Serenity. She's got his eyes." She replied. Kenji smiled.

"How long you been...in the business?" He asked her.

"About ten years. I started in MI-6, then was transferred to the CIA on one of their...experiment exchange programs. They made me Sheldon's partner and well...the rest is sorta history." Cerise replied.

"Damn, MI-6. I hear they're tougher then we are." Kenji replied with an impressive look.

Cerise laughed softly. "They can be...at times. Not everyone in MI-6 was a James Bond." She said with a smile.

At that moment, the alarms in the building began blaring. The next second, before either Kenji or Cerise could reply, the foundations shook from a massive explosion. Filing cabinets rattled, a few filing over. The room plunged into darkness. Out side in the halls, was a mass of screams, orders and running footsteps.

Another explosion shook them even harder, proving that one was close by. Cerise stumbled into Kenji. "What the bloody hell!" She shouted over the alarm as Kenji's arms stabled her.

"I think some one's set a bomb!" Kenji replied. There was a click and a yellow flame of a lighter. Cerise followed Kenji over to the door as he unlocked it and jerked the door off, just as another explosion shook them again.

Cerise stumbled out of the door, people running past her, for exits or the stairs. To their left, Cerise and Kenji could see the collapse of the elevators in that hall. "Stay with me!" Kenji told her and stashed the lighter in his pocket before running toward the elevators. He ripped open the door to the stairs, as two men came running down the stairs for it.

"God, Toshiro. We've been looking for you!" One man said, stopping.

"Where did it hit first!" Kenji demanded from the two men who were under him.

"A floor above Roth's floor! We can't get in there, the elevators wont work..."

"No shit." Cerise snapped.

The men ignored her. "And the stairs have collasped on this side of the building!"

"We were on our way to the south stair case. With any luck they're still intact." The other man said.

"We'll go." Kenji said, turning and heading back into the lobby with both men and Cerise.

Security and field agents were scrambling around trying to get a handle on the situation. Kenji grabbed ahold of the newly bandaged Larsson and spun him around. "I want a mass execution of all floors accessible. NOW!" Kenji ordered with so much authority that Larsson shrank back.

"Yes sir!" Larsson replied with a salute.

Kenji turned to the two men. "Chaplin, Mcknight, you two come with me. Cerise, you as well." They headed towards the south stair case when yet a forth explosion trembled through out the building. All four stumbled towards the door. Kenji's hand touched the knob, before there was an ominous cracking and Cerise grabbed on to his arm.

"Watch out!" She cried, dragging Kenji back as a large chunk of plaster and wood fell to the ground in the place Kenji was standing.

"Fuck!" Kenji swore violently. "We'll have to go up from the basement!" He turned and ran, with Cerise, Chaplin and Mcknight in tow, down the hall.


	18. Brimstone

* * *

Sands had been sitting at his desk, reading a memo Roth had dropped at his desk in passing, in Braille, when he heard footsteps. He looked up, seeing the outline and shadow of a prim looking woman standing there, her hair in a bun.

"Your out fit...is not to the dress code of this office." She said with a sniff of digust. Sands could hardly believe he was hearing this, and was forced to bark a laugh. Which only irritated the woman more and she sneered, glaring at him.

Still laughing, Sands replied. "What the fuck does it matter. What's more important in this organization? How I'm dressed, or how I get the job done!" He fired back.

The woman went to open her mouth in reply, but at the moment, the office was rocked by a violent explosion. It knocked the woman off her feet, sending her tumbling over into Sands, who had practically been thrown from his chair.

Around them, alarms began blaring. Above them, the sprinklers began going off. Sands turned his face up ward a moment, slightly open mouthed as the water rained down on them.

Then he shoved the woman off him, was on his feet before she'd turned over, to see him running down the hall towards Roth's office.

He threw open the door and was washed over by smoke. Choking on the acrid smoke, he moved into the office. There was so much smoke, the optical implants where of no use. "Roth!" Sands called out, trying to locate the director. There was a groan by the desk and Sands was around it in a heart beat.

A large hole had been blown in the wall and ceiling in the corner. Sands could hear and feel the heat of flames as they licked outward over the ceiling for the walls. His toe connected with a body on the floor and Sands dropped to his knees next to Roth. He ran his hands over the director's body, feeling for any wounds as he heard people entering the room, coughing.

He heard one of the security officer's voice, kneeling beside him. "Is he alright?" The man asked Sands.

"So far." Sands replied. "Get him out of this office!" Sands was on his feet again, heading for the hall, just as another explosion rocked the building, sending him stumbling into a wall. Bracing his hands agaist it for balance, he pushed himself away from the wall and continued back into the open offices.

There wasn't as much smoke in this large room and Sands ran across it towards the door to Kenji's office, throwing the door open, but the office was empty. "FUCK!" Sands swore, heading for the outer hall. He bumped into another security officer, as a third explosion sounded distantly, but still feeling the tremble under his feet. "You need to evacuate these people! NOW!" Sands shouted at the man over the blaring of the alarms.

"We've got a problem with that!" The man shouted back, strangely calm. "The north stair case is out! The elevators too!" He was already motion others into the office, some of the security officers that had tryed to stop Sands that morning.

"Is there another stair case on this floor?" Sands demanded.

"The north, four halls over. And the basement stairs possibly, at the end of this floor. You know how big this place is, covers two city blocks!"

"The make for the north stairs. If those are down as well, we have no choice but to try for the basement stairs. But our priority right now is to get these people OUT!" Sands replied.

"Right." The man nodded as the fifth and final explosion sounded. Sands turned his head, looking down the long outer hall, seeing people supporting other people from out of other offices, when he saw the figure at the end of the hall, dressed in black. He was just standing there, so calmly, so non-pulsed.

Sands let go of the arm of the man he was talking to and took off running down the hall, shoving his way through the throng of people. As he grew closer to the man, the man turned and sprinted down a side hall. Sands sped up.

He turned the corner in time to see the man pause at a door. The hall around them was completely free of smoke and brightly lit. Sands felt something tugging at his stomach as the man turned his head towards him and graced him with a wicked smile. "You fucking bastard." Sands hissed, already reaching for his gun.

The man smiled more and tore open the door. Sands heard his footsteps running up a stair case and he gave chase again, catching the door before it swung shut. He couldn't see down the stairs, but the heavy dust in the air told him what he wanted to know. The stairs down, were blocked.

It didn't matter, the sound of the man's footsteps were traveling upward. Sands gripped his gun tighter and took off after the man, taking the stairs two at a time. He threw himself around the banister at every landing, chasing the man.

Just as he'd lost count of how many floors they were traveling, they broke out onto the roof, the air becoming sweet and chilled with rain. The man ran towards the end of the roof. Sands was now gripping his gun in the two hand hold from his training.

"FREEZE, RICHARD!" Sands yelled. Although the man had already stopped at the very edge, and he turned around to face Sands with that wicked, sick grin on his face.

"You found me, Jeff. No more hide and seek." Rick Dupre replied, holding up his hands in mock surrender.

"You sick mother fucker." Sands shot back, stopping a safe distance from the man, but close enough that it would be a kill shot. But something inside him told him, it wouldn't end here, that Durpe would get away, for now.

"That's a lot coming from you." Dupre spit back.

"There was always a method to MY madness, Dupre."

Dupre snorted. "I find that so HARD to belive, Jeff."

"I don't care what YOU believe, fucker. You come in here, and set off bombs, while I'M here? Did you not expect me to find you!" Sands demanded.

Dupre snorted, amused. "Find me! You stupid blind fuck, you didn't FIND me, I gave myself up. I wanted to see the look on your face when I." He paused, smiling that oily grin again.

Sands knew the man was baiting him. Knew Dupre wanted him to ask. He flexed the fingers on the grip of his gun, but didn't say a word. He wouldn't fall for it. He wouldn't play by Dupre's rules.

"Oh you're such a fucking sore loser." Dupre said with a click of his tongue. "Doesn't matter, the game's not over. Officer Sands," His tone took on an edge and ice. "I'm going to hurt you so bad, when I'm done cutting you up, you're going to wish that bitch of a mother had never had you. I'm going to destroy your life. I'm going to take away everything you've ever hold dear and leave you to die."

Sands had heard enough. He squeezed the trigger and was happy to know Dupre couldn't move quick enough with out taking a bullet in the shoulder. It had been the backwards momentum that had saved him from it being in the heart as he'd taken a step off the ledge, dropping backwards.

As he disappeared from view, Sands ran to the ledge, pratically throwing himself over it, hitting the cement hard, knocking the air out of him, but allowing him to watch as Dupre landed on a truck back covered in stunt man padding.

He would have jumped himself, and pursued the bastard, if he hadn't heard the running footsteps and the voice calling. "Officer Sands! Director Roth has come to. And he's demanding to see you!"

It was the security officer from earlier. Sands sighed, pushing away from the ledge. "Where is he?" Sands questioned.

"The outer hall, by the stairs. We told him to stay in one of the clear offices, but...uh, you know Director Roth." The man said with a slight smile.

In fact, Sands heard the Director's rough voice from with in and somewhat far away. "SANDS! GET YOUR ASS DOWN HERE!" The security officer gave Sands a shrug and Sands laughed wearily, as they began climbing their way back down to their floor.

* * *

They got down to their floor and came out into the outer hall. The alarms were still blaring off in distance. Near by was a shattered alarm bell, looking like it had been shot and Roth was just putting away his gun as Sands and the security officer appeared. 

Roth was leaning against the wall, looking a little worse for the wear, but other wise intact. He took out a trimmed cigar and looked up at Sands, as he patted his pocket for his lighter. When none was forth coming, he held out the cigar and several men scrambled forward with their lights.

Sands hid his smirk at this scene. Just barely. "You called, Master?" He asked, stopping in front of Roth some.

"Don't you give me your lip, boy!" Roth replied, and although the tone was rough, there was ever so slightly a tug at the corner of Roth's mouth. "I understand it, that I have you to thank for getting me out of the office, is that right?"

"Well," Sands said with a nonchalant and impassive air, "I don't want to be put in the will or anything, but yeah..."

Another tug at Roth's lips. "I should blame you for all this God awful mess." Roth replied. "Have your head on a silver platter I should. And what was with you running off to the roof? Smoke to much for your delicate taste."

Sands hid his smirk behind lighting a cigarette. "I didn't give you leave to smoke, Officer Sands." Roth said, although there was humor in his tone. Not that any of the other officers standing around picked up on it. They all looked nervously back and forth.

But after what Sands had just gone through, he wanted a cigarette. And he didn't give a damn if they chunked him out on his ass for it.

"Who were you chasing around?" Roth asked, exhaling the cigar smoke slowly.

Sands stashed his lighter and looked up at Roth, taking the cigarette from his lips and exhaling himself. "Dupre."

The Director swore most vulgarly, before looking back at Sands. "You at least got a shot, I'm hoping."

"Winged him, but he felt the bite of my bullet." Sands replied, taking a long drag.

"I was told you initiated the evacuation of this floor." Roth replied, eyeing Sands with his one good eye.

"We need to clear everyone off this floor. The explosions may be over, but that doesn't mean this place wont go down like a house of cards." Sands replied, tapping off his ashes.

Roth chuckled. "I knew there was a reason why I liked you, boy." He turned to the security officer with Sands. "Officer Thorton, I want you to see to the evacuation. Get these people down the basement stairs, to the lobby."

"Yes Sir!" Thorton replied, moving off to give orders.

Roth motioned Sands closer as he pulled painfully away from the wall. "You stay with me, kid." He stumbled slightly and Sands grabbed his arm, balancing him.

* * *

Roth was one of those kinds of people who, like Sands, made sure his people got out first, before getting out himself. He stood at the door to the stairs, making sure everyone got through as Sands stood near by. They could still hear alarms and fires all around, but so far, their floor was intact and they'd found the basement stair case clear. 

"Director Roth!" Came a voice from a few stairs down. Kenji, Cerise and the other two were moving up the edge of the stairs, letting people pass.

"Where you been, Toshiro?" Roth demanded of Kenji.

"Evacuating the people in the lobby., sir." Kenji replied as they slid through the door. "You hurt, sir?"

"No, thanks to Officer Sands." Roth said, looking over at the young man. Sands grinned amused. "You may be losing your place as right hand man, Toshiro." Roth said amused himself.

"Well, sir, I'm not sure I can complain much. He's a good agent to replace me." Kenji replied with a grin.

Cerise moved over to Sands. "Are you alright?" She asked him softly.

"Peachy fuckin' keen, baby doll." Sands replied with a grin.

"Good." Cerise replied and she suddenly slugged him as hard as she could in his shoulder. The blow sent him stumbling side ways into Roth and Kenji, who were watching, both with traces of grins on their faces.

"OW! What the fuck was that for!" Sands demanded, rubbing his shoulder and giving her a look.

"THAT was for not telling me Dupre is still alive." Cerise hissed, taking a step closer.

"How the fuck did you..."Sands snapped back.

"I found his file down stairs. Status, Fugitive, believed to be alive." Cerise snapped back. "IF this is what the other night was about, why the fuck didn't you just TELL ME?" She demanded.

Sands sighed, running a hand through his hair. "You didn't need to know at the time." He replied business like.

"Oh that's a bloody fucking lie, Sheldon! I needed to know this, and you knew it! After what he did..." She trailed off, glaring darkly at him.

"Now Officer Stone, I'm sure Sands had his reasons." Roth said, humor in his voice.

"Oh he ALWAYS has his reasons." Cerise retorted, rolling her eyes. "But now I know, so what do you plan to do about him, Sheldon!"

"Same thing I planned to do the first time. THis time with no mistakes." Sands replied simply. "It was Dupre who set off the bombs."

"Why the HELL would he do something that stupid?" Kenji asked.

"Cause he's an idiot?" Sands replied sarcastically. "You know why, Toshiro. Because he found out I was here and he couldn't resist."

Roth shook his head. "Amazing how many idiots are in this world."

"Idiots make the most dangerous...no predicating their stupidity." Sands replied.

"I think we can go now, Director, everyone's off this floor." Thorton came up beside them.

"You do a sweep?" Sands asked him.

"Yes sir." Thorton replied with a serious tone.

"Good, lets go." Roth replied as Kenji helped him get through the door. Sands waited for Cerise and they went down behind Roth and Kenji with Thorton behind them.


	19. His Personal Hell

Author's Note: This last part of the chapter deals with child abuse, both sexual and psychical. It's tough to read, but it happens and my heart is with anyone who's endured it, for I truly know what it's like...

\V/

Sarah had heard of the bombing while at the British Embassy. She called Letty to hear if she knew anything, while she rushed over to the CIA's office building. Letty hadn't heard anything and the first question she asked was if Sarah knew if Sands and Cerise were alright.

When Sarah arrived, she found the twins waiting for her. "Happened around noon." Luke said as he took a drag off his cigarette.

"Has Jeff called you?" Sarah demaned. Luke shook his head, Sarah swore, turning her eyes to the building. "God, I hope they're okay." She muttered.

"Knowing Jeff, he's giving the orders." Logan said softly.

Luke snorted. "Hell, knowing Jeff it was probably he who blew the place up." Sarah couldn't really help but grin as they watched the scene.

"You really could have told me about Dupre, Sheldon." Cerise said softly as they walked across the lobby after clearing with security and emergency workers.

Sands sighed, wrapping his arm around his wife's waist as they walked. "You had enough on your mind. It's for me to worry about anyway." He said simply.

Cerise rolled her eyes. "It isn't either. It involves me, just as much as it involves you." She replied as he pushed open one of the door and they stepped out into the late afternoon gray and cloudy.

"Cerise, it is between the three of us. IT's between them and us. But our side doesn't need to lose any more players." Sands replied, stopping and facing her.

She crossed her arms over her chest and gave him a look. "I can handle myself and you know I can."

"I wasn't referring to that directly, now don't start on it." Sands snapped back.

"Then what were you implying?" She demanded.

"I was implying," he replied with a sarcastically stressed tone on the word, "That it's not just Dupre. It's not just one bad guy any more, sweets."

"It never was just Dupre, to begin with, Sheldon." Cerise replied softly, looking at him for a moment.

"Yes, I know." Sands muttered, wrapping an arm around her waist and began walking again.

"So what do we do?" Cerise asked him after a moment as they walked.

"What I should have done the first time." Sands muttered, head down, as if he were watching the side walk.

"Just don't get yourself killed." Cerise muttered in reply.

"He's gotta be better then that to catch me." Sands replied seriously.

"JEFF! CERISE!" Both stopped walking and turned to see Sarah and the twins running from across the street to catch up with them. "We heard about the bombs, came as soon as we could." Sarah told them.

"Everything at the safe house is still...safe." Luke put in.

"Wasn't any need to worry, Darcy, just a bit of excitement in another wise boring job." Sands retorted.

Sarah glared darkly at him. "I see you still have an attitude problem."

"I don't have an attitude, Darcy, I just don't like you." Sands replied with an irritated tone.

"Fucking prat." Sarah snapped back.

"Knock it off, both of you." Cerise sighed irritably. Sands turned with out a word and started down the side walk, back in the direction of the safe house. Luke and Logan shrugged at Sarah's expression. Cerise sighed again and turned, catching up with Sands.

"Listen sweets, I want you to make good of Jack's safe house." Sands told her.

"Sheldon! Is that really necessary?" Cerise asked him with a tone.

"Now that you know Dupre is still alive, yes it is. I'm willin' to bet he knows where the safe house is and I don't feel like giving him a chance to get to you or Lily Rose." Sands replied.

Cerise sighed. "Alright...after the party tonight."

"After the party." Sands replied softly, with a nod, kissing her on the temple as they walked.

\V/

When they got back to the safe house, Sands headed for the bed room, and began digging through his suit case, looking for several articals of clothing.

Cerise took Lily Rose from Letty, kissing her on the forehead. "The boys called me about the bombs, everything okay?" Letty asked concernedly.

Cerise nodded. "Is now." Cerise said softly. "Sheldon and I have a party to tend tonight...and then I'm taking Lily Rose to a friend of mine's a place." She told the younger woman.

"Are you staying there as well?" Letty asked.

Cerise sighed. "Yeah, Sheldon would think it would safer,"

"Cherry! Where's my hat!" Sands called from the bedroom. "Never mind, just found it..." Cerise smirked slightly, setting Lily Rose back on the floor as the little girl started playing with her dolls again.

Cerise headed back towards the bedroom, in time to see Sands entering the bathroom with a clothing bag. "I;ll be out in a bit." He told her, giving her a cocky grin. Cerise eyed him.

"You plan on enjoying this, tonight don't you?"

"Course I do," Sands replied, closing the door. Leaving most of the lights off, he looked at the counter, taking a deep breath, thikings hard on that afternoon. His knuckles turned white as they grippd the counter top. If only he knew where Dupre was.

He wasn't afraid of Dupre, but he was afraid of what Dupre could do to Cerise and Lily Rose.

_How the fuck did he live!_

_Ya should've killed him, Sheldy... _

I cut his eyes out!

But that didn't kill you either, did it...

I'll cut his heart out this time!

In the mean time, he wandering around out there... could even be plotting what to do next to Cerise...

_Will you go the fuck away!  
_

_Sheldy, I thought we had a talk about this? I ain't leavin', so deal with! In the mean time, Dupre's probably jackin' off to the memory of raping Cerise! _

Sands grabbed the soap dish and slammed it into the counter, as hard as he could, shattering it, and feeling a piece slice his hands. Bitting his tongue he glared at his reflection in the mirror.

"I'll do more then cut out his heart, you demented little freak! I'll cut his dick off!"

_That's my boy! _The voice seemed to grin.

Sands sucked on the cut on his hand, turning his back on the mirror. With a sigh, he pulled off his shirt and shimmed out of his jeans, turning to the shower and turned it on it. Letting the water run for a moment, he perched himself on the counter, his back to the mirror.

In the mirror's reflection, several gruesome scars where visable on his back. He reached over his shoulder with his left hand an touched one, grimacing. He'd had them since he was a boy, living with his mother and his step father. He didn't know what was making him think about that, it was a period in his life he tried to lock away, but since seeing Antony again, those years were creeping back into his mind.

Where his mother had been verbally and psychically abusive, calling him all sorts of names and locking him under the staircase, his step father had been much, much worse.

Sands dropped his hand, lighting a cigarette. Taking a long draghe listened to the water of the shower, and remembered. His step father had had a old leather woven bull whip, he'd carried it around the house, never putting it down...

\V/

_He flung Sheldon by the hair, down the steps of the basement. Sheldon was 14, skinny and tall, taller then his mother, but not tall enough to face down this monster, this man who was supposed to be his step father. _

_Laura DeMerrit Kilpatrick had married Osmond Gold when Sheldon had been eight. They'd met in the bar his mother had worked in...when she wasn't drunk on her ass. Sheldon didn't even remember the ceremony. Had there even been one? Sheldon didn't know. One day the man wasn't there, the next he was._

_"How many TIMES have I TOLD YOU, not to leave the hose leaking!" Osmond demanded, coming down the stairs. _

Sheldon rolled onto his back, looking up at his step father in the dimness. How he HATED the man! Osmond was carrying his whip. Sheldon knew what was coming worse, but he spat out the useless words anyway.  
"I'm sorry! I thought I turned it off!"

_"Oh you WILL be sorry!" Osmond snapped back, reaching down and grabbing Sheldon by the hair again. _

"Please! I didn't mean to!" Sheldon shouted, and received a smack across the mouth for the effort, the man didn't even remove the big clunky, fake gold ring he was wearing.

_"You will be! All boys are bad, and you know what happens when boys are bad!" Osmond hissed, dragging Sheldon by the hair across the cool dark basement room. _

_He flung him against the wall, putting down his whip, long enough to grab Sheldon's arms and the old rusty shackles that hung on one wall. Sheldon could hear his mother moving around in the kitchen, humming to herself, ignoring all this. _

_Osmond shackled Sheldon hands, turning him to face the wall, then promptly cut his tee shirt away from his back. Sheldon leaned his forehead against the cold stone wall, trying to steal himself for what was about to come. _

_But no matter how hard he tried to be ready for it, when the whip struck his back, he screamed, trying to jerk away from the leather snake. "I'm sorry!" He screamed, but got no other reply then the whip striking him again. Screaming, he felt tears prickling in his eyes from the pain and squeezed them shut. _

_In the kitchen, he could hear his mother turning up the radio. How he hated her as much as this man. He wondered how his real father, Michael Kilpatrick could have ever let this happen, or why his brother Antony never came to rescue him. Then he decided that Antony and Danny and their father must not care anything for him. Maybe his mother was right, and no one in the family wanted him, that Sheldon had been a mistake. _

_He didn't know how long it took this time, all he could feel was warm sticky blood running down his back and pain in his arms from where the shackles held him dangling. His knees had long ago gave way. The rest of his body was numb. _

_He heard Osmond put down the whip and knew what was coming next. It was like a ritual with Osmond, any little offense got Sheldon down here. Moe and more, as of late.. As Osmond walked over and jerked Sheldon's jeans down to his ankles, Sheldon wondered numbly, if his mother knew Osmond did this, or if she even cared that her youngest son was at the hands of a sexual predator. The man not only beat Sheldon, but sexually abused him as well. Sheldon had been nine when it had started. _

_Knowing the routine, Sheldon fell deep with in his mind, reciting every poem and every song he could think of, silently himself, rather then being in the now to go through with this hell. _

\V/

Sands' head was hanging, and the cigarette was burning his fingers, a long trail of ash hanging off it. The sound of the shower brought Sands back to the present, and he chunked the cigarette in the toilet, brushing the ash off his thigh and got off the counter, stripping out of his boxers and climbing into the shower.

He leaned his head against the cold tile and turned the cold water down, letting the scalding water wash over him for a long time.


	20. On the Threshhold of A Party

Author's Note: Short first part chapter for the party. A cookie to who ever knows Captain Ramius. ;)

* * *

Cerise's dress was cream colored satin and early 20s style elegance. Her long hair was pinned up, she was wearing a faux fur wrap. Her satin slippers were hand stitched, a gift from Mama Kate, Cerise's (fairy, at times) god mother.

But he still out did her, dressed in a black silk pinstrip zoot suit, complete with chains and hat, down to the black and white wing tips. The sunglasses he was wearing, the dress style, really set the whole outfit off.

Cerise shook her head, slightly amused at this thought as chauffeur gave her a hand out of the limo. Kenji had splurged at little bit after the bombing at the head quaters, he wanted Sands at the top of his game.

Sands got out behind her, sliding his hat on and offered Cerise his arm. Cerise took it, watching him closely, he'd been tense since leaving the safe house. "Relax, or you wont charm anyone." She said softly, finally turning her eyes to the door.

"Oh ye of little faith." He muttered in reply.

The door man got the door, opening them to the party which was, elegant, and packed. The ball room was a swirl of elegent gowns and classic tuxedos. Sands was sure to stand out, and he knew it.

At the door man inside, he presented the invitation and they were waved on. Sands led Cerise down the stairs. "Just do what you do best, sugar butt." He whispered in her ear.

Kenji approached them from near by. "Jeff, Cerise. My you look lovely."

"Thank you." Sands replied.

"I was talking to Cerise,." Kenji replied, giving him a look.

Sands just grinned. "I know you were."

Cerise laughed softly.

"Come, let me introduce you around," Kenji motioned to the room. Sands and Cerise fell into step with him as he led them around the room, introducing them to several high ranking people he knew.

"And this is Captain Marko Ramius." Kenji introduced a tall, distingished older russion man. "Captain, this is Sheldon Sands and his wife Cerise." Kenji leaned in a bit closer and said softly, but Sands caught the words, "The one I was telling you about." To Sands and Cerise, Kenji said, "Captain Ramius is a good friend of director Roth and a adviser in most matters dealing with his mother land."

"A pleasure to make your acquittance." Sands said, shaking Ramius' hand.

"An honor." Ramius replied with a nod, turning to Cerise. He bowed slightly. "And to you as well." He said.

Cerise smiled and nodded. "Thank you."

"Does the Russian goverment know you're adviser for us now?" Sands asked.

Ramius smiled slightly. "I advocated from the Russian goverment, Mr. Sands. I work for your CIA." Ramius said, an interesting glint in his eyes.

Sands grinned, nodding. "A pain, aren't they?"

"Interesting choice of words, Mr. Sands." Ramius replied, a slight up turn of his lips.

"Cerise, come along with me, I want to introduce you to a couple young ladies." Kenji said, with a knowing look. Ramius wanted to speak with Sands alone. And Sands picked up on this. He kissed Cerise on the forehead.

"Go on, Cherry, we'll meet up a little later."

"Alright." Cerise nodded, turned to Ramius and curtseyed a bit. "A pleasure meeting you, Captain Ramius."

Ramius bowed. "The pleasure is all mine, Mrs. Sands." He took her hand and layed a light kiss on her knuckles, gentlemanly. Cerise smiled warmly with a nod. Kenji offered his arm and Cerise allowed him to lead her away.

"The luckiest man in the world is the man who finds true love." Ramius said softly to Sands, watching Cerise going off with Kenji.

Sands smiled tightly. "I wouldn't say it was true love, Captain, but love to be sure."

"How long have you been married?" Ramius asked, looking at Sands.

"Seven months, but I've had the pleasure of knowing her for far longer. We have a daughter." Sands replied, turning back to the ex Russian Captain. "You were married, Captain?"

"Was, my wife passed away a few years ago."

"My sympathies, Captain."

Ramius nodded his thanks. "Shall we step out side on the balcony, Major?"

Sands smiled tightly again. "Kenji informed you of my rank, then?"

"Of course," Ramius replied with a nod, turning towards the balcony. Sands followed him.

They stepped out into the brisk night air, closing off the sound of the party behind them as Sands pulled the door shut. He moved over to the balocny, taking his silver cigarette case from his pocket. He opened it and offered Ramius one. Ramius shook his head, but indicated Sands should go ahead. Sands removed a hand rolled cheroot from the case, closed the case and tapped the cigarette on the top, before removing the small slinder lighter from his pocket.

Ramius spoke. "Kenji has informed me, that you are the one handling the case of...the mole."

Sands drew a long drag, nodding. "He informed you right." He answered softly.

Ramius turned from looking at the street, his hands behind his back. "I would like to offer my help, Major. This mole has threatened my security. Blackmailing me."

"Do you know who the mole is?" Sands asked, drawing another drag.

"I've my suspicions." Ramius removed a list and handed it to Sands, who scanned it.

"Your help will be appreciated." Sands replied.


	21. The Bar

Author's Note: Tying those loose chapters with Antony, Danny, El, Eric and Marie. Bringing THEM together as a team. ;)

Thank you for the wonderful reviews. And thanks to my Partner in Crime, Scarlett.

* * *

El walked down the busy street, even at this time of day, it was teaming with people. Antony and Danny were not far behind him, as they headed for the bar at the corner. Some of El's contacts had said they might find more information about the good doctor at the bar, some of the doctors' gofers hiding there.

At this point, any little lead was worth checking out. El paused, glancing discretely over his shoulder to see Antony nod at him, indicating they were right behind him. El nodded ever so lightly and turned back, moving through the crowd of people as the little jingling of a bell was heard.

He was suddenly stopped, least he knock over a young boy on an old bicycle with a wire basket. The boy beamed up at him, holding up a box of chiclets. "Chewing gum!" The boy asked in spanish.

"Er...no." El replied back in Spanish.

The boy suddenly launched into a reason why El should buy some, stating that he had to take care of father, his mother, his sisters, his brothers, his uncles, his aunts, his cousins, the dog, the cat, the bird, the fish and the fleas...

Antony and Danny appeared, "What is this?" Antony asked.

"He's selling bubble gum." El told him, starting to turn away from the boy.

"He's just a kid!" Danny remarked.

"It's not illegal for children to sell candy here." El replied, taking a step away. Danny grabbed his arm.

"You're just gonna walk away?" Danny demanded, glaring at El. Antony rolled his eyes and as El moved past him, back to the kid, Antony slipped El an american twenty. El smiled tightly, with a silent nod to Antony, and turned to the kid.

The boy was still going on and on about why he was selling gum. El interrupted him. "Okay, okay. Here. This should help out for some time. Try to stay off the streets." He held up the twenty.

The boy snatched it, pressing a full box of chiclet bubble gum in his hand, "Gracius! Gracius!" The little boy peddled off.

El looked at the gum, then at Danny, "Happy now?"

"At least ya helped the kid." Danny retorted.

El shoved the box of gum into Danny's hand, turning and heading for the bar. Antony snickered and followed with out a word. Danny looked at the gum, pocketed a few packages, shrugged and tossed the rest of his shoulder, jogging to catch up with El and Antony.

* * *

Eric and Marie stopped into a bar for a drink and to go over the files they'd snatched. They both got a beer and went to a table in the back. Eric took a sip of his beer and went flipping through the files. "These aren't even HALF the agents stationed here at the time..." He muttered with a frown. 

"It was hard to get clearance to any more 201s with out a plausible explanation, these were just the...lower ranking ones..." Marie said softly, looking at one.

"We're going to need to look at the commanding officers' files, Marie." Eric replied, taking another sip as he watched people coming in and out of the bar.

"We're going to need some kind of clearance, Eric. Unless we just steal the files, and that'll get us even MORE trouble." Marie replied, closing the folder she had.

"Then we'd best start thinking of an excuse to get them." Eric muttered as he saw three men entering. He frowned. El walking around with two Americans? That wasn't like El. "Hold that thought, Marie." Eric got up, after taking another drink and began making his way to the corner of the bar where El and the two men had sit down.

El ordered a drink and looked around the bar, pausing to see the man he knew as Eric Cameron coming towards them. El got off his stool, meeting Eric half way. "I thought you were going back to the states..." He said only loud enough for Eric to hear.

"Change of plans. What are you doing in Culican?" Eric asked him.

El motioned to Danny and Antony. "I'm helping out these two, for Sands." He left off the fact that they were Sands' brothers, not sure if Sands wanted Eric to know that yet.

"What for?" Eric asked.

El hesitated, glancing back at Danny and Antony. Antony was watching them discretely. "He needs some one caught." El answered simply.

Eric frowned, opening his mouth to answer, when he noticed several well suited Mexican men entering the bar. But it was the AK-47s that really got his attention. He leaned close to El. "Get out of here." He hissed, before turning and heading back towards Marie. Just as the men opened fire.


	22. Complications

Marie pulled him behind the table as the gunfire split the air. He managed to peak around to see El, and the other two men had dove behind the bar. Eric pulled his service piece from his holster and check it's clip. He glanced at Marie, who was doing the same.

"Who do you think these guys are?" Marie asked, nodding over the table.

"I don't think they're ares. Look locals."

"So just here at the wrong time?" Marie asked.

The top of the table was splintered in the rapid fire of an uzi. "Guess we'll find out," Eric replied, before leaning around the cover and firing a few shots. Marie turned on her knees and fired over the top.

"It was a set up!" Danny snarled, digging in his pockets. Antony leaned over the top of the bar and fired a couple shots before smacking Danny in the shoulder as the younger brother pulled out a couple of wicked cherry bombs.

"Knock it off, Daniel, there innocent people in here!"

"I bet that Crockett wanna be had somethin' to do with this!" Danny snapped back, hopping up on his knees to look over the bar next to his brother.

El was leaning shoulder against the bar beside Danny, loading his guns. "That was Eric Cameron."

"Told ya he was a Vice wanna be!" Danny interrupted as he and Antony ducked a round of bullets.

El patted Danny on the chest, "He's a friend of Sands'" He said before raising up just as the bullets died and firing off a couple rounds.

"So he's CIA!" Danny asked, as El ducked down.

"I'm guessing." El replied.

Danny popped up and spotted Eric and Marie. "You two, get yer asses over here!"

Marie raised an eyebrow and glanced Eric. Eric frowned, then muttered. "Next chance you get, Marie, get behind the bar."

"Fat chance Eric." Marie replied, rolling her eyes as they fired back at their attackers.

"Don't make me come over there and get you!" Danny snapped.

Eric looked Marie a spare second. "It is closer to the door."

Marie at the group that was attacking them at the bar. "I conceed your point."

While their attackers had to pause their firing to reload, Eric and Marie sprinted in a crouch around the far end of the bar counter. The enemies were heard swearing in Mexican and then opening fire on the bar more, shattering all the bottles, raining old alcohol down on them.

They huddled next to El and his group, waiting the gunner's out. "Who the fuck are these guys!" Danny demanded, glaring at Eric.

"I'd guess cartel," Eric repiled calmly.

"They're not yours?" Antony asked in a sneer.

"They're not ours." Marie answered.

There was a shout in Mexican, El looked up with a irritated and perplexed expression. There was the suffling of feet then a thud as of something was dropped gently on the floor.

"What the fuck is going on?" Danny hissed.

"Have a look an' find out!" Antony replied.

Danny hesitated, then peeked out over the top of the counter. Then he ducked back down and looked at his brother. "There';s this really big guy and I do mean BIG. Fucking behemoth and he's leanin' on this little guitar case..." Danny said, sizing it out with his hands.

"A Mariachi?" El asked.

"Must play for a real funking band, then." Danny replied.

El and Antony both hesitated a look over the top of the bar. The man grabbed the case and picked up, aiming the long end at the bar. El's eyebrows shot up and he spoke quickly to the others. "I think it's time to go."

"Why?" Marie asked, glancing over the top.

A rocket shot from the end of the guitar case and into the bar mirror. "That's why!" El shouted.

"Now can I?" Danny asked Antony holding a home made cherry bomb in both hands.

Antony looked down at him. "Now you can."

Danny set a match in his teeth at the corner of his mouth, struck it off El's cheek with a shake of the head and touched a wick to both. Spitting the match out of his mouth, he stood with a wicked laugh and chunked both into the group of shooters.

"Everyone out!" Antony ordered, pushing the group towards the door. Danny dove out behind them just as there was a ground rocking explosion. Danny grinned sociopathically. "Assassin chunks."

* * *

Washu pushed away from the microscoop and rubbed her eyes, stiffling a yawn. It was much to late to be trying to focus on this. She hadn't slept for a good 27 hours. She rubbed her fingers over her eyes and temple, frowning. She'd done a complete search of every agents blood sample she could get ahold of, analyzing for the same chemicals present in Sands' blood. She'd gone through every record she could get her hand on before that. Nothing was coming. 

She sighed, leaning forward a bit. She'd just have to go to plan C tomorrow. She'd simply have to start searching out the doctors and scientists involved in this foul little operation.

She'd just yawned again when her back straightened. She left her position where it was, but said. "How nice of you to join me, Doctor."

A deep voiced answered her. "It is my pleasure Dr. Lee, or should I say Asia Colt."

Washu inclined ever so slightly looking over her shoulder at the figure that stood behind her, hands clasped in front of him.

"Victor, fancy you remembering." She said sarcastically.

Victor Guevera smiled with out humor, motioning with a hand. "It was a pleasure working with a genius."

Washu stood up, turning around slowly, leaning against the work table, her head still in clined. She leaned on her hands. "Weren't you supposed to be in Mexico, Victor?"

Guevera raised his eyebrows and replied in a conversational tone. "I put in for a transfer." He smiled again, humorless and sadistic.

Washu sighed and regarded him. "Well, are you alone, or were you smart enough to come with friends?" She asked him.

"Depends." Guevera replied. "Are you smart enough to come quietly, or with force."

"Now Victor, you know me better then that." Washu replied in mock lecture.

Guevera just smiled. Washu returned it with a sardonic sneer, even as she saw the two men come either side. One went to grab her left wrist and she let it slide off the table, fingers curling around the man's sleeve and she yanked, letting go quickly of his sleeve to grab his collar, jerking her arm down hard, slamming his head into the table, just as she lashed out with her right side, kicking the other man in the stomach.

She swung the one she had a grip on, around into his buddy, lunging away. Her nimble fingers snatched up a scalpel as she lunged past Guevera and she sliced, opening a ripe across the front of his shirt, but she vanished from sight. However, Guevera heard her say, "Next time, Victor, be faster and bring more men."


	23. Desperate Measures

* * *

Sands had ridden with Cerise from the safe house, where she'd picked up an over night bag and Lily Rose, to Jack's spare apartment, in the cab. Neither really said anything to each other and Lily Rose slept on her mother's lap. But Sands wrapped an arm around Cerise, who leaned against him. 

When the cab pulled to a stop, Sands got out, getting Cerise a hand. He told the driver to wait a moment, before turning to his wife. "Look baby doll, it'll only be for a night or to. I wanna make sure he doesn't know." Sands said softly, rubbing Cerise's shoulder, before kissing her on the for head.

"I know." She said softly with a sigh.

"Besides." Sands jerked his head back down the street. Cerise glanced past his shoulder and saw a car parked on the far corner. As if on cue, two cigarette lighters lit up and Cerise could make the twins, Luke and Logan behind them. "They'll be around, watchin'." He said with a slight smirk.

Cerise shook her head with a slight smile. "I don't know I wanna be away from you that long." She muttered, smiling slightly.

"Torture I know." Sands replied with a mock sigh.

Cerise grabbed his collar in one hand and pulled him close, kissing him.

"Go, before I don't let you." Sands muttered, resting his forehead against hers a minute. Cerise kissed him softly a second time and let go of him, heading for the front foor of the building. She unlocked the front stain glass windowed door and glanced over her shoulder.

"See ya in a few days, Red." Sands said opening the taxi door and getting in. "Later Sands." Cerise replied softly, stepping through the door and closing it behind her.

Both knew they wouldn't see or talk to each other for a few days. Not even in the office. They would act like total strangers. The less they were connected together, the less danger it would be. But neither liked the arrangement. Sands would rather have kept both his side.

* * *

Cerise started across the foyer towards the stairs leading up to Jack's apartment when she heard a beeping behind her. Looking over her shoulder, she saw a zig zag of laser trips light up, connected to C4 charges. 

She stopped in her spot and looked up the stairs, realizing the in the faint light, there were C4 charges going up the stairs on the wall and railing. She looked across the lobby, to the long hall that lead down into the other building and saw it too was lined with charges.

"Son of a bitch." She breathed, weighing her options. It was a gauntlet anyway she ran it. She glanced up ward for no particular reason and caught a face looking over the edge of the balcony three fours up. One she knew well. "Dupre!" She snapped, holding onto Lily Rose.

"Hello Cerise." Dupre leaned on the balcony. "What a surprise, I thought it'd be Jeff I'd be trapping in here. Wanted to say hello after this afternoon."

"You're such a liar, Dupre." Cerise retorted.

Dupre sighed. "Well, if you say so." He held up a detonator. Cerise launched down the long hall. "You've got 45 seconds." Dupre said calmly, pushing the button and turning and walking down the hall he was on towards the fire exit.

* * *

Sands had handed the driver the money to take him Cyprus' club, and they'd waited for the horse and buggy to go by, before pulling away from the curb. Sands glanced in the direction of the twins' cars, to see Logan leaning against the drivers side door, smoking. The twin raised his head slightly, glancing at the taxi, but in the slight movement, he acknowledged and assured Sands of his responsibilities. 

Sands nodded slightly, settling back in his seat, and lighting a cigarette. The taxi was just reaching the corner when it happened. The building, Jack's apartment was in, exploded in a thunderous explosion. Sands spun in his seat, throwing the door open and jumping out just as the driver slammed on his breaks.

He stumbled, tossed his cigarette away, regained his balance and ran back down the street towards the safe house. He was vaguely aware that Luke and Logan were catching up with him. They grabbed his arms just as his feet hit the side walk,. "JEFF!"

"Let me go, Shields or I swear to God I'll tare your heart out right here!" Sands hissed, pulling hard on his arms.

"Jeff, God damn you, knock it off!" Logan growled

"You can't go in there!" Luke snapped.

'My wife and daughter are in there you motherfuckers, now let me the fUCK GO!" Sands shouted, jerking forward.

Luke and Logan yanked back hard on his arms and Luke pulled a syringe from his pocket, pulled the needle cover off with his teeth. "Fuckin' hell, Jeff, I hate to do this!" Luke spat, before he sank the needle into Sands' neck.

"YOU FUCKING LITTLE PRICK CUNTS!" Sands yelled, fighting even as his legs gave way. "I'LL HAVE YOUR FUCKING SOULS FOR THIS!" He screamed, before going limp in the twin's arms. Luke and Logan stumbled slightly, and looked at each other as they held on to Sands' arms.

"Oh fuck!" Luke moaned. "He's going to kill us..."

"We've got to call Sarah...tell her what's happened. We've got a Code Red." Logan said breathing heavy.

"He's gonna kill us!" Luke repeated.

"Luke, will you just help me get him to the car!" Logan snapped, nervous from the sound of sirens coming closer. He and his brother began dragging Sands back towards the car, glancing at the burning building.

"HE'S GOING TO FUCKIN' KILL US!" Luke shouted as Logan opened the door.

"I KNOW!" Logan shouted back, opening the driver's door.

"We are so dead..." Luke muttered, opening his door and getting in. He dug out his cellphone as Logan started the car, pulling away sharply from the curb.

"Sarah, we've got a Code Red..." Luke muttered hopelessly in the phone. "Well what the fuck, Sarah! The building blew up! WE DON"T KNOW! He's unconscious in the back seat. No I didn't hit him, I used the syringe... On our way." Luke hung up and looked over at Logan with a sour look Logan just shook his head and drove as Luke glanced in the back seat.

* * *

Cerise bolted down the hall, hearing the laser trip wires spring up behind her. There was a door at the end, with a push bar handle. When she reached it, she saw in frustration that there was a chain and pad lock on the handle. "Fuck!" She swore, holding Lily Rose, who had woken up, tightly. 

Cerise glanced over her shoulder as she heard a frenzied beeping and the explosion of the front door. It began a chain reaction of the other ones. Cerise spun and kicked hard at the door handle, twice, before it gave way and Cerise lunged through the door, slamming it with her shoulder, turning to look at her surroundings.

There was another hall way leading towards a fire exit. Cerise headed for it, shoving for it open, ignoring the alarm that was triggered as she did. She came out in the to chill night air in and alley way, and spun, to look down the way she'd come, to see the door between halls fall inward with a blast of flame, glass shattering some where inside. Cerise breathed hard, glaring. Now she'd have to play cat and mouse and throw Dupre off before she could get back to the safe house.

* * *

**Author's Note: I have a perfectly logical explanition for this chapter.**


	24. Desperate Acts

When Sands came to, he'd been tied in five point restraints, to a four poster bed. There was no other sound in the room, other then the soft ticking of a clock on the far wall. Sands raised his head, straining his ears for the tinest movement.

Hearing none, he pulled hard at the restraints on his wrists, hearing the bed frame groan from the pressure. He growled in frustration, and yanked hard in a pull. The bed frame thudded against the wall, behind it.

Sarah pulled her ear away from the door and turned to the collective group standing behind her in the hall. "He's awake..." She grumbled.

"He's going to kill us..." Luke muttered.

"Yes, you've informed us of that, like a million times." Letty hissed back.

"Those restraints going to work?" Logan asked Sarah.

"They'll probably hold for an hour...I've seen him pull out of those kind or restraints before and I don't tie good double knots..." Sarah muttered, looking sheepishly at Logan.

"Oh God...he'll kill us..." Ryan grumbled, putting his hands to his face and shaking his head.

Sarah turned the lock in the door and headed down the hall, of their new safe house. They'd cleared out the moment Sarah had hung up, heading to a new place Sarah had picked out as their double. Everyone followed her down the hall.

"Luke, Logan, I want you to tell me everything from the time you arrived on the scene, until you left." Sarah said, sitting down at a desk, and picking up a phone. She turned on her computer, plugged something into the usb port, then into the phone jack, reconnected the line.

"The scene was empty upon our arrival." Logan said. "No one. Jeff and Cerise showed up maybe six or seven minutes after we did."

"Then we can assume that our Bombe was there before you guys arrived." Sarah replied with a frown, before turning to the phone and typing a number in on her key board. They heard an automotive ring, then an almost electronic voice answering.

"Yes?"

"I need to speak to Mr. Smith, it's a code red." Sarah replied. There was another automotive ring, and another deformed voice answered.

"What is it Ms. Darcy?"

"Mr. Smith, we've got a code red. I'm afraid we have one burning."

"Who?" The voice asked.

"Our case officer and his partner." Sarah replied, swallowing.

"Damages, Ms. Darcy?"

"One, sir." Sarah answered, grimacing.

"I trust it wasn't the spy master..." The voice sounded agitated.

"No sir, it was not our spy master. His partner."

"Remain at your current location, and commences raido silence until you receive your orders. No one is to leave. We'll contact you by secure channel."

"Yes sir." Sarah hung up, turning to the group. "We're to remain here until we receive orders..and it's raido silence."

"I'll turn off the music." Logan muttered, reaching over and shutting down their raido equipment.

* * *

Sands pulled on the restraints again, and held the postion, pulling as hard as he could. He heard something beginning to crack and he pulled harder, straining with the effort. The crack doubled and the small posts on either corner of the head board gave way. 

Sands yanked the restraints free and began tearing them off. He sat up and threw off the wrist restraints, hurrying to undo the restraints on the ankles. He knew the room was dark, from the lack of shadowed movement.

He swung off the bed, fighting off the after effects of the drug, Luke used on him, shaking his head. He felt around the bed, moving down it, and around, towards the wall, and encountered a table as he moved across the room.

Feeling out the top of it, he discovered his holster and snatched it up in a lightening quick movement. He buckled it on and began feeling his way down the wall again, towards the door.

He was getting out of here rather any one else liked it or not. He had to get back to the apartment building. He had to know rather or not Cerise and Lily were gone.

Sands breath began quickening and he paused, leaning against the wall as his head spun. He couldn't take it if they were. He knew that now. He'd loose it completely. And then they would have a psychotic on their hands.

But he knew, that until he had proof to prove either possibility, he was better off, for the good of the mission, assume and except that his wife and child were gone and push it to the back to wait till after the operation. OTher wise, he'd fuck up And Sands never fucked up on a job.

He pushed forward, feeling along until his hand connected with a door knob and he tried it, finding the door was locked. His hand automatically snapped to his gun and he pulled a desert eagle from his holster, checking the clip. Satisfied it was full, he turned the gun on the lock and actually HOPED some one was stupid enough to be standing on the other side.

He opened fire on the knob, shattering the lock to splinter pieces in six shots, before he kicked the door out ward the reverse way as hard as he could, shattering the door off it's hinges,

Luke appeared at the beginning of the hall way as Sands shoved through the door, holstering his gun. "Oh fuck no!" Luke declared scrambling out of Sands reach as quick as possible and putting as much distance between them.

Sands ignored him, coming down the hall in what could only rightly be classified as a stalking. He came slinking down the hall way like a big cat stalking it's prey. It was a wicked sight indeed as he came into the lights of the main room with a wicked little grin on, slinking fowards.

Luke and Letty were standing behind Logan and Rayn, in the kitchen door way as Logan and Ryan pressed up against the wall a bit. Only Sarah stood in the middle of the room. She stood there loosely, letting her training hold her mind, rather then her logical self. But even she was nervous as he pussyfooted towards her.

Sands cracked his neck, beginning to grin wickedly. He could smell the fear in the air. After six months of not having his sight, and the unknown chemical in his blood, had sharpened his senses so well, he was actually smelling the fear in the air, and he liked it.

He saw Sarah's shape standing in the middle of a large room and he looked around, seeing the front door. IT was clearly a new safe house. He wasn't surprised.

He turned his gaze back on Sarah, smirking more. "I can hear your heart beat, Sarah." Sands purred, snatching a pack of cigarettes and a lighter off a table to his left. "I thought you were an assassin."

Sarah swallowed calmly. "Jeff, what are you doing?"

"Assassins Sarah, controll the emotions." Sands said, ignoring her question as he sauntered closer.

"My emotions are in controll, Jeff." Sarah said softly, holding her ground.

Sands smiled more wicked. "Your heartbeat is rattin' you out my dear." He whispered in a seductive purr. Letty shivered in the kitchen, never having heard this tone from Sands before.

"Say what you want, Jeff, I'm calm. What are you doing?" Sarah asked again, eyeing him wryily.

Sands stopped with in inches of her, hanging loosely, not even his fingers twitched. "I should think that would be obvious to you, sugar." Sands breathed.

Sarah started at him, her body going tenser then she'd have liked it. Sands sensed her tensing up and he smiled sinfully at her. For just effect, he lowered his head ever so slightly, allowing her to see just over the edge of his glasses in to the empty eye sockets.

It still unnerved Sarah and she flinched. That was the opening Sands needed. He lunged forward, grabbing Sarah around the neck, and spinning her.

Sarah snapped her arm up, managing to get her fingers under his arm and she dug her nails into his skin, trying to pull out of the neck hold. At the same time, she began sliding her leg back, working it in between his legs.

Sands felt her leg and side stepped, letting go of her, allowing her to twist away from him, but his hand snatched at her wrist and he began twisted the wrist painfully, snatching at her arm.

Sarah brought her other fist around, hitting him hard in the ribs, snapping back around and jumping a step back as he let go of her wrist.

Her step wasn't far enough and she collided with the desk, stumbling forward in a shuffle.

This time, Sands snatched her hair, yanking back and grabbing her arm,

twisting it high up on her back. He kicked her in the back of the knees as he spun her and drove her into the floor, kneeling on top of her and leaned down.

"I'll kill you, Darcy. Is that what you want?" He purred in her ear.

Sarah grimaced, staring at the ground. "Let me go Jeff."

"You didn't answer my question sweet cheeks. I'm still the best, remember..."

"Go Jeff. No one will stop you!" Sarah replied earnestly, shifting her gaze to the others. "I swear no one will stop you."

"Insequor, ac ego mos leto." Sands hissed in her ear and shoved her away, heading for the door. Logan moved to stop him.

"Don't! Let him go, Logan!" Sarah ordered, getting up off the foor. Sands swept out of the safe house, letting his senses guide him towards the stairwell. He knew the safe house they were using. It was an old place they'd used before, on the other side of the city.

Sands searched his wallet as he took the stairs down and was happy to see that his wallet was still on him. The safe house wasn't but a few blocks away from Cyprus' club, which was why Sands had chosen it in the first place long before now.

He headed for the club. He'd get a back up weapon and possibly even Brutius to go with him back to the apartment building and surrounding buildings and search. Then he was going to go after Dupre.

* * *

Translation:

Insequor, ac ego mos leto- Follow and I will kill you

Author's note: I so hope I haven't lost any readers... cause I love writing this, and it is getting better...promise.


	25. Tea Cup

Brutus leaned up against the wall of the building, finishing off his cigarette. He was restless. He knew what was coming. He looked to his right just as a street vent released a thick mask of fog over the side walk and watched as the man he knew as Sands materialized out of it, a walk that was as casual as it was dangerous.

Brutus straightened up. Sands had his hands in his jacket pockets and a cigarette in the corner of his lips. He stopped in front of Brutus, lifting a hand and drawing a long drag, exhaling before speaking. "Cyprus around?"

"Yes sir." Brutus answered. Cyprus had called down five minutes before Sands had shown up and told Brutus to expect him around, and warned him, that the man would be in a very dangerous mood, he was not to provoke Sands and was to send him straight up.

"Mind tellin' me where he is?" Sands asked calmly, taking another drag. Brutus smiled. "I can do better then that, man, I can take ya up to him."

Sands nodded his approval. "Lead on."

Brutus nodded and turned, going back down the walk a few steps and unlocking a door there. He pulled it open, taking a key card out of his pocket and running it through the swipe right inside the door. It cleared and a second door, leading to a flight of stairs going up, opened up. "Go right on up, man. He's waitin' for ya." Brutus directed.

Sands headed up the stairs with out a word, climbing them silently. He pushed open the door at the top and entered a back room of Cyprus' offices above the club. He heard footsteps coming his way and stepped back into the shadows of the door way. He knew it was Cyprus.

Cyprus entered the room slowly. "Wassup man?" He asked casually.

"Need a back up weapon." Sands answered, coming out of the shadows slowly.

"What happened to the shit I loaded you with?" Cyprus asked, hoping he was masking the truth, of knowing, from his voice.

"Had to leave in a hurry, I'll get it later." Sands said nonchalantly.

"Man, I don't..."

Sands turned on his heels and started back down the stairs at those words. He wouldn't waste his time. He'd have to make do with the desert eagles he had.

"Yo man! Sandman! Wait up!" Cyprus hurried after him and caught his arm half way down the stairs.

Sands gave him the coldest look Cyprus had seen on his face in a long time, but said nothing. Cyprus judged he'd have half a minute, if he didn't let go of Sands' arm. "Here me out man, just a moment." Cyprus breathed, letting go of Sands' arm.

"I know what happened, your associate," Cyprus grimaced, felt the man before him shift and knew that pointed to the worst. "Contacted me over it...Now, man, you can NOT go back there... you can't. There's gonna be blues all over the place, Interpol too. You can't go back there."

"Such a diluted fantasy world ya live in, Cyprus. Let me know if any real estate goes up, I might like to buy a house." Sands snapped back, pulling out away from Cyprus and heading down the stairs anyway.

"Man, drop the bullshit and think! You'll just make things worse!" Cyprus snapped.

Sands turned around with out a word and came back up the stairs, grabbing Cyprus about the collar and shoved him back up the rest of the way, slamming the door behind him. He shoved Cyprus back against the work table that was in the middle of the room and stalked towards him.

"Now then, lets have a little chat, old friend." Sands said in that soft dangerous tone that was his worse.

"Sands, man, let's not get over our heads..." Cyprus started to get up, but Sands pinned him to the table again, and there was a nasty looking sliver of glass in his hand. Cyprus wanted to ask where he'd gotten it, but he shut his mouth period.

"Who told you?" Sands asked casually, leaning on Cyprus.

"Does it matter?" Cyprus asked softly, eyeing the sliver of glass.

"Well," Drawled Sands, "To me, no? To you...well do you like your balls where they are, or should I tuck them in your lapel pocket?"

Cyprus swallowed. "Man, there's no need to get personal over this..." He snapped his mouth shut as Sands brought the sliver of glass down on his groin. He felt the tip pushing through the material of his jeans. "Sands, whoa man!"

"There's gonna be some dissectin' done if some one doesn't start talking properly." Sands said in a sing song tone.

"Sarah, Sarah Darcy!" Cyprus blurted out.

Sands slammed the shard of glass on the work the table and turned away from Cyprus, heading for the door. "Was that so hard, Cyprus? Ya always have to do it the hard way..."

Cyprus pulled away from the table. "You're fuckin' psycho, ya know that!" He snapped at Sands.

Sands opened the door and barked a laugh. "All these years and you're just now figurin' that out? Some one give this guy a tootsie pop!" He slammed the door behind him and headed down the stairs.

He gave Brutus a salute as he headed down the street from the club. Brutus grimaced but let the man go, not about to tangle with him. For the most part, Sands ignored him. He saw no reason in giving Brutus a hard time and he figured he'd probably still have to recruit the man's size at some point in this game.

He headed off in the direction of the apartment building, staying to himself in the shadows, letting his emotions control him for now. However, they were a dreadful mixture that Sands was sure he was going to have to shoot some one just to start feeling better, and his choices right now were narrowing.

"Fucking Darcy, always meddling..."

_You could shoot her..._

Sands groaned. _Go. The. Fuck. Away. _

_Good Lord, boy'o, we've been through this a hundred different ways. I AIN'T LEAVING... _

_Then just shut the fuck up! _

_Slick, you're just about as full of bullshit as some others we know. I'll shut up, when I want to shut up. _

_I swear to God, one of these fuckin' days I'm going to tear you out of my head myself! _

The voice just laughed, long and hard and cold. Sands shuddered, locking the voice back in it's mental cage for awhile, knowing sooner or later, it'd find the key again. He kicked viciously at a bottle on the side walk, sending it spiraling into the street and turned the corner.

* * *

He'd walked a good four or five miles before slowing down. Up ahead he could still feel the heat from the burning building. Could hear the fire fighters, and the police. He could hear a crowd murmured around, talking between them. He sauntered towards one group, watching the city's protectors and servers trying to put out the fire. He shoved his hands in his pockets, swallowing hard. 

"It's such a mess...I knew some of those people living there." One girl near by said in Russian.

"Its terrible..." The man next to her said.

Sands interrupted them in Russian. "Excuse me, sorry...um...they brought any one out?"

"Only in body bags." The man replied stiffly. Sands heard a sniffle from the girl and stepped back from the group. He lowered his eyes to the ground, but clinched his fists. _Please tell me you got out of there, Cherry..._

He heard footsteps behind him that stopped and heard the voice out of his past, speak softly, "Lets take a walk, son."

"Aren't you supposed to be dead?" Sands asked back with a touch of sarcasm.

"Consider me a ghost of Christmas Past, mate. Lets take a walk." Tom Carmichael said, plucking at Sands' sleeve. He turned and started walking back down the road, not even waiting for Sands. He knew the man would give in, because he'd want to know. All Carmichael had to do was wait for him.

Sands swore foully. Part of him was wanting to turn and sprint after Carmichael then and there. The other half, was all but forcing him to stay where he was. There would be no way in hell, Sands was going to play some one else's game. He'd learned that mistake the hard way.

He bared his teeth in a snarl of frustration, then turned and ran after Carmichael. Tom was waiting for him at the corner, leaning against the building there, lighting a cigarette.

"You're lookin' good, Slick." Carmichael said conversationally.

"Really? Haven't had time to check a mirror, but I would have thought I'd look a little more like I feel..." Sands replied.

'And that is?" Carmichael asked.

Sands took a step closer. "Tearin' some one's fucking heart out if I don't start gettin' some answers."

"The answers are in that head of yours, Slick." Carmichael answered, actually tapping Sands on the forehead before he could retreat.

Sands smacked the hand away and grabbed Carmichael's collar, dragging him around the corner. "I am sick and fucking tired of all these God damned games!" Sands hissed, slamming his one time mentor into the wall.

Carmichael sighed theatrically, looking heavenward. Then his hands were on Sands' wrists in a vice grip and he pulled the hands free, spinning Sands around and pulling his arms behind his back. Then Carmichael proceeded to slam Sands into the wall, face first. It wasn't hard enough to do any damage, but Sands couldn't exactly wiggle free.

"Tea Cup!" Carmichael spat in a demanding voice.

"Fuck you! I'm not... My wife and daughter were in that building!" Sands squirmed.

Carmichael shoved him again, into the wall and growled. "Tea Cup, Sheldon Jeffrey Sands. Say IT!"

Sands chuckled bitterly, turning his head from the grit on the wall and growled right back. "Tea Cup!"

"Tea cup and saucer, say it." Carmichael ordered calmly. He held Sands firmly in place as the younger man stopped struggling and his shoulders sagged.

Sands shook his head slightly, still musing bitterly at the old trick, but said softly. "Tea cup and bloody saucer."

Carmichael patted Sands on the chest and let him go. "Wasn't hard, now was it, Slick?"

"I hate you." Sands replied back, so serenely it would have un-nerved any one else.

Carmichael chuckled and wrapped an arm around Sands shoulders, leading him away from the wall. "Good."

"What's going on, Tom?" Sands demanded with an edge to his tone now.

"The shit's about t' hit the fan, kiddo, and you're right at the center of it." Carmichael shrugged. "It's not your fault, but you get to claim the blame."

"I don't want it." Sands muttered, lighting his own cigarette.

Carmichael took one that Sands offered after that and shrugged again. "I don't blame ya, Slick, but you've got a lot of trouble comin'. It's not your fault. And I'm not sure I know who's fault it is, but I've got a couple ideas."

"You send my brother after me?" Sands asked him.

"Thought it was about time they knew. Walk, kid." Carmichael nodded to the street and started walking. Sands stood a moment where he was. "Kid, lets go." Carmichael called over his shoulder.

"Okay, first off, I'm not a recruit any more. Second of all, I out rank you, and I always have!" Sands retorted.

"Major Sands, get a move on!" Carmichael hissed.

"I resent being spoken to like this!" Sands snapped, but started after Carmichael anyway. There was no need to try and play games with Carmichael, because if it was one thing Sands knew, it was that he'd lose. Carmichael TAUGHT him the game...Sands could never master him.

Carmichael began leading him towards a car, parked down the street.

"Am I really here to catch a mole?" Sands asked, falling into step next to the older assassin.

"Yes, no lies about that." Carmichael answered. "I brought ya some help too, but more on that later. Next question, cause I know ya gottem, Sheldon."

Sands grimaced, Carmichael had the annoying habbit of using his given name when ever the whimsy hit him. "Your startin' to sound like my mother." Sands replied harshly.

"The way I hear it, Slick, your momma wasn't HALF as nice as I am to you."

Sands paled, clinched his fist, but kept his mouth shut. A reply would only make him fall for Carmichael's trap. Instead, he said, "Who saved Dupre's ass in Mexico?"

"Easy, Monterio. Next?"

"Why isn't Monterio trying anything? And who's protecting HIM?"

"Easy, probably has orders to wait. And I don't know." Carmichael answered, as they arrived at the car. "I told you I brought you some help. Here he is." Carmichael said with a grin, before opening the back seat of his car.

* * *

Author's Note: Best part of this chapter was the tea cup scene. Which was given to me by both my fiance, and my psychology professor. The idea behind it is that Tea Cup and Saucer is so abusred to say, that when paniced you automatically have to focus on WHY you have to say them, rather then why you're paniced or upset. 


	26. Guilty of Nothing

The first out of the car was Martitus. "How the hell did you get him?!" Sands demanded as the Doberman planted his self right at Sands' left side, sitting as still as could be by his master.

"Wasn't hard." Came a voice from the car and Sammy emerged from with in.

Sands eyed him. "Aren't you supposed to be in Paris?!"

"Leave of absence. Figured you could use a little help." Sammy said with a grin. "Oh, and I believe this is yours." He tossed Sands a holster.

Sands caught it on reflex and ran his hand over it, frowning. "My combat elite. Where did you get this?"

"Well you never did reclaim it from Dom, so I figured..." Sammy left it hang with a grin.

Sands said nothing, his face, neutral. Reaching down, he took ahold of Martitus' leash. "Come." He patted his thigh and Martitus fell into step next to his master, heading down the street with him.

Sammy and Tom exchanged a look, then Sammy jogged to catch up with Sands. "Aren't you going to ask how we found you?" Sammy asked, falling into step on Sands' other side.

"I know how you found me." Sands answered monotone. "Darcy told you where I'd likely be."

Sammy grimaced. "She's just worried, Jeff."

Sands said nothing in reply and Sammy bristled. He was suddenly reminded, and he didn't know why, of the events in Mexico, that concerned the alley way and when Sands was lead to believe Cerise was dead the first time.

The MPs had picked Sands up two days after Rick had found Cerise in the alley way, Sands had been wandering around the desert out side Culiucan, with no apparently memory of what had happened in the alley way, and the .22 that had shot her on his person.

They brought him back to HQ and put him in a holding cell. Sammy was there when they interrogated him. If you wanted to call it an interrogation

_

* * *

_

_The room was a standard size interrogation room. It was painted a putrid shade of green. It held a single table, with three chairs. And a light fixture over it. Sammy was standing by the doo.r, arms crossed over his chest, staring at the floor as he waited for the interrogator to come in. _

_Sands was sitting at the table, staring at the table top, a unopened pack of cigarettes, that he'd requested, resting next to his hands, which were folded on the table top. He looked unsettled and a little annoyed. No one had told him what was going on. No one had told him anything since the Military Police had picked him up, two days before._

"_What the fuck is going on, Sammy?" He asked, generally confused, looking up at the other man. Sammy grimaced. He'd been held for the last forty eight hours, in a holding cell. _

"_They just want to ask some questions, Jeff. That's it." Sammy said softly as he watched the interrogator come in and start setting up the recorder. _

"_About what?! What the fuck is this all about?!" Sands demanded, almost glaring at the man who was still silent. _

_Finally the interrogator sat down at the table across from Sands. "Officer Sands, I'm Officer Weeks. Do you know where you are?" _

"_Central Mexico Head Quarters for the CIA. Yes, I know where I am." Sands replied exasperated, finally snatching up the pack of cigarettes. ripping open the pack and lighting one. _

"_Do you recall being picked up by the MP yesterday?" Weeks asked calmly. _

"_Yes, I remember being picked up by the MP yesterday." Sands replied with a sigh, taking a long drag. _

"_Do you recall why?" _

"_Well, I would ASSUME, it has to do with that monkey incident, I never got debriefed about that one, so..." Sands smarted back, irritably now. _

Weeks took a photo from the folder he had and sat it on the table in front of Sands. It was a picture of Cerise. "Who is this woman?"

_Sands didn't touch the photo, but he looked at it. Then at Weeks. "You're new around here, aren't you? That's my partner, Cerise Stone." He replied, tapping the ashes off the cigarette._

"_And your lover." Weeks said. It wasn't a question. _

_Sands didn't answer, but glanced at Sammy with an almost accusing look, who shrugged and indicated Sands needed to answer the question. _

"_Was she your lover, Officer Sands?" Weeks asked, a bit stronger tone to his voice. _

_Sands looked back at Weeks. "Yes, she IS my lover." Sands replied, not failing to notice the past tense in Weeks question. _

"_Are you aware that having a sexual relationship with your partner is against regulations, Officer Sands?" _

"_Our personal lives have never interfered with our jobs. We're lovers outside the office and field, Officer Weeks." Sands replied back tonelessly. _

"_Where you aware that Cerise Stone was pregnant?" Weeks asked, writing something on the legal pad he had. _

"_What the fuck do you mean by WAS, Officer Weeks?" Sands fired back, stressing the man's title, sarcastically. _

"_Answer the question, Officer Sands." Weeks pressed back, simply. _

"_Yes, I know she's pregnant, it's my child." Sands snapped back, not sure why he was losing his cool. There was a pit in his stomach that kept growing. He knew something was terribly wrong, but he didn't know how wrong, until Weeks dropped his bomb. _

_Sands had just tapped the ashes off his cigarette when Weeks spoke next. "Did you shoot her, Officer Sands?" _

_Sands looked up sharply. "What?! What are you talking about?!" He demanded. _

"_Did you shoot Officer Stone, in the alley way in Culican two days ago? Did you leave her to die?" _

"_What the fuck...?! What are you saying?!" Sands breathed, his heart beating rapidly. He looked towards Sammy for any indication of what Weeks was talking about. _

_Sammy grimaced, but came forward, speaking much more sympathetically then Weeks would have, explaining things to Sands. "Jeff, Cerise was found two days ago, in an alley way in Culican. She'd been shot, nearly point blank. Now we know she was with you most of the day." He inwardly grimaced as Sands eyes widened, staring at Sammy. _

"_Where is she?" He breathed, demanding to know. _

"_Jeff..." _

_Sands came up out of his chair and snatched Sammy's tie, dragging him closer. "Where is she, Sammy?! TELL ME!" _

_Sammy stared at him, loath to play the game he'd been ordered to play with his friend and team mate. When the words came out, they were hallow and lifeless. "She's dead, Jeff...It was a fatal shot." _

_Sands stared at him, going numb, and letting go of him slowly. His hands began to shake and he struggled to stop them, running his palms over the legs of his jeans, as he'd done as a teen. _

_**Dead, Sands, you heard him correctly... **_

_**I didn't...why would I?!**_

_**Who? Who was there as well... **_

_**She was supposed to be safe! I was supposed to protect her! **_

_**Who! Who the FUCK was in that alley way?!**_

_He knew there was some one else in that alley way, besides him and Cerise. Some one who would have pulled the trigger, because Sands himself would have never, not for all the tea in China. But he could NOT remember who it was. _

_In his frustration, he picked up the chair he was sitting in and threw it. "You're lying!" He hissed dangerously at Sammy, pointing a finger at him before advancing toward him. _

"_Jeff, man, I'm sorry." Sammy said desperately, wanting nothing more then to leave the room at that moment. He took a few steps back, trying to put the distance between him and Sands._

_"Nope, sorry, wrong answer." Sands replied, shaking his head as he snatched at the pack of cigarettes on the table, but his hand was still shaky and he removed the cigarette from his pocket, playing it between his fingers for the moment. _

"_We have an eyewitness, Officer Sands, that confirms you shot her point blank." Officer Weeks said, still sitting in the chair._

_He eyed Weeks, searching out the rules of the game. It had to be a game. A nasty one at that. His opponent knew more then he did. He closed his eyes a moment, still trying to grasp the memory, and clenched his jaw, before replying._

"_WHO?!" Sands demanded, opening his eyes and turning on Weeks. "Who told you I shot her?" _

"_Officer Robert Monterio." Weeks said calmly. _

"_I didn't shoot her!" Sands yelled, slamming his hands on the table, his face in Weeks. _

"_You did shoot her, Officer Sands, she's now dead." Weeks said with a slightly smug tone, but sitting back away from Sands reach. _

"_LIAR! WHY would I shoot her?!" Sands snapped, snatching at Weeks, who jumped back from the table. _

_Sammy hurried around the table, taking Sands' arm. "Jeff, don't..." He said softly, trying to calm his friend, but he knew it was useless. _

"_I didn't shoot her! I would have never!" Sands screamed, tearing away from Sammy. "It's a preposterous and utterly ridiculous notion!" He was already starting around the table after Weeks, and Sammy knew he meant to kill the man. _

"Sands, stop it!" Sammy yelled, grabbing Sands' arm again.

"_I didn't shoot her!" Sands screamed again, struggling as Sammy grabbed both arms, pulling back on Sands with all his strength. _

"_Then who did, Officer Sands?" Weeks asked, from across the room. _

"_I..." Sands breathed heavy, chest heaving, glowering at Weeks, struggling with his words, as much as he was struggling against Sammy's hold. "I didn't...do...it..." His voice cracked and faltered. _

"_Be that as it may, Officer Sands, she is dead. And only you and Officer Monterio were in that alley way." Weeks pointed out. He didn't have to voice that Monterio's record was much better then Sands, and who were they going to believe more, a wild card, off the wall, officer, or a senior controller? _

_Sands pulled out of Sammy's arms, causing Sammy to stumble. Sands snatched up the recorder, throwing it against the wall, shattering it. "I DID NOT SHOOT HER!" He shrieked, before over turning the table, violently and grabbing Weeks chair, throwing it as well. _

_Weeks was already at the door, motioning for a few security officers to come in. _

_Sands rounded on Sammy. "Tell me you're fucking lying, Iokie! Tell me she's alive!" He demanded. _

_Sammy felt the knife twist in his heart and opened his mouth but none of the words he wanted to say came out. "I'm sorry man..." _

_He lowered his head, leaning against the wall and slid down it, until he was sitting on the floor, utterly silent and still. Sammy started to move his way, when Sands looked up, with a startling look of desperation in his eyes. "I didn't do it, Sammy. You've GOT to believe me!" He muttered, pleadingly._

_Sammy grimaced, suddenly fighting back a bitter rush of emotion, rooted to his spot. He looked towards Weeks and watched the security officers enter the room. _

"_Detain him." Weeks said to the security officers, who began moving towards Sands. _

_Sands hit the first man who attempted to grab his arm, hitting him hard in the face and the room sounded with a sickening noise as the man's nose broke, gushing blood. The others moved in on Sands in a group as Sands struggled to get to his feet. _

_Two officers grabbed him, while another pulled a baton, smacking Sands in the knees with it, to keep him down. Still Sands struggled against them. "I DIDN"T SHOOT HER!" He screamed in his defense. "LET ME GO!" _

_They wrestled him to the ground on his stomach as one officer went to handcuff him. "CERISE! I DIDN"T SHOOT HER!" Sands was still screaming as they hauled him to his feet, and struggled to drag him from the room. They'd return him to his holding cell, until further orders. _

_"Redarguo attinet nililum!" Sands spat out, kicking at a guard that had him._

_Sammy went to the door of the interrogation room and forced himself to watch as the men dragged Sands down the hall._

"_CERISE!" _

_Sammy cringed, even after they'd dragged him around the corner, Sammy could still hear Sands screaming her name and pleading that he hadn't done it. _

_Sammy looked to his left and saw Mackinze and Sarah standing at the other end. Mac had her arm around Sarah, who was crying. Sammy started to head their way, to join them, when Weeks spoke. _

"_Regardless if he shot her or not, his career with us will be over." _

_Sammy turned to look at the man, and bit down the sudden hatred he had for the little prick. "And why is that?" Sammy asked coldly, glaring hotly. _

"_Simple, Officer Iokie. He's lost his mind." Weeks said, picking up the shattered recorder and checking it over. _

"_He's grieving, you slimy asshole. He loved her." _

"_Against regulations and company policy..." Weeks started to say, when Sammy slammed him into the wall, a hand around his throat.. _

"_You have no heart, do you?! Who gives a fuck about regulations and company policy. You can't help who you fall in love with!" Sammy shoved away from him, disgusted with the man and left the room, going down the hall to join the girls. But his mind was whirling, with WHY they'd been ordered to lie to Sands. _

"_What will they do with him?" Sarah asked, sniffling and looking at Sammy._

"_They're admitting him to the psychiatric unit at OMS." Sammy said softly. _

"_Why?!" Mac questioned, giving him a confused look. _

_Sammy sighed, looking back down the hall. Far away, they could still hear Sands screaming for his lover. "Because his grief is probably going to cost him, his sanity." He said very softly, looking back at the girls. _

_Sarah began crying again, and Sammy wrapped his arms around her, comforting her. _

"_He really loves Cerise, doesn't he.?" Mac asked softly, looking at Sammy from watching Weeks gather his things and leave._

"_He loves her more then any thing, Mac. You know that." Sammy answered. _

"_I don't understand why we can't tell him! And why he can't see her!" Sarah cried, burying her head in Sammy's shoulder. _

"_It's not our place to question Sarah...I don't know WHY we've been ordered to lie, I just know...you know that it's...safer for them both right now...this way...You know that with what's going down right now...it's safer...for her and that baby...and for Jeff." _

"It's wrong!" Sarah squeaked through her tears, looking up at Sammy. "He's going to need her so much more, if things are going to get as bad as Doddson says!"

"_I know babe, I know." Sammy said with a sigh._

* * *

Sammy buried his hands in his pockets and looked up to see where Sands was leading them. He'd led them back to the scene of the burning building and had stopped at the corner, his face turned towards the heat of the flames. Sammy thrust his hands deeper in his pockets and turned to Sands. 

"Jeff, we need to talk. And I do mean we need to talk." He said softly.

"About what?" Sands asked with out a tone, which had Sammy worried. The last thing he wanted was Sands going numb again.

"About Weeks interrogating you, about the alley way in Culican, and about WHY you were led to believe Cerise was dead..." Sammy muttered. not daring to look at Sands, even as he saw the other man turn his way.

"What about it?" Sands asked, a touch of curiosity in his voice.

"Not here, Jeff, not in the open." Sammy said, finally looking up.

"And where do you suggest we speak?"

"Tom has a place..."

"I don't trust Carmichael, not as far as I can throw him." Sands retorted.

"Fine, then lets walk. And just for your own edification, I believe Cerise got out of there." Sammy said, gesturing to the burning building. "She's to smart to get trapped there."

Sands said nothing to that, but indicated Sammy to start walking, as he curled the leash tighter around his hand, before starting to walk a few steps behind Sammy.

Sammy knew better then to ask why, and started walking down the street. "Start talking." Sands whispered and Sammy heard the man cocking the Colt, he'd given back to Sands.

Sammy kept his eyes forward. "I guess you could say this all begins with...Do you remember what we learned, about the original MK- Ultra?"

The hair on the back of Sands' neck suddenly stood up and he faltered in his steps. "The program in the 50s." Sands muttered.

"It started with that, yes..." Sammy said softly.

"Of course I remember. LSD, mind controll, brain washing. It was a regular spy soap opera..." Sands said in return, tightening the grip he hand on his Colt.

"Right, but it didn't end in the 50s, and you know this..." Sammy said softly.

Automatically, Sands replied, "There is no NEW MK Ultra, THAT is a lovely little fairy tale for Swampy Trainees..."

"Is that what you believe, or what they programed you to say?" Sammy asked, stepping into an alley and waiting for Sands, who gave Sammy a look. "Think about it. What did you do after graduating the Farm?"

"I don't see how this has anything to do..."

"Humor me, Jeff! What did you do after you left the Farm!?" Sammy snapped.

"I worked Psych Ops for four years." Sands replied stiffly.

"Wrong," Sammy said. "You worked Psych Ops for seven years, you just don't remember, the last three years. And there's reasons behind that."

Sands frowned fully. "What are you getting at, Iokie?"

"You did a lot of work with the New MK Ultra. You've been programed to swear it never happened, but it did, and the reason why you've been programed to swear it did, is because you ended up a victim of it."

"It never happened!" Sands spat.

"Yes, it did, Jeff. You were used and abused by it, when they realized you were the perfect test subject. I don't know the details, I just know what Doddson has uncovered. It was why Sarah and I were assigned to watch you."

Sands swallowed hard, Sammy's words ringing in his mind. Somewhere in the depths of his memories, something began to swirl, trying to push forward. Somewhere in that distant part of his mind, he heard people talking, a rushed, urgent sense to the words, but he could not make heads or tails out of what they were. His head was spinning and he felt his legs buckle, causing him to fall up against the wall, where he struggled to keep himself up and push those thoughts back.

He didn't need this right now. But his mind had lost all control of his body, and instead of staying up, he found himself slowly sinking down the wall.

"Sorry to do this to you buddy, but you don't need to be doing this right now." He heard Sammy mutter, as the other man leaned over him.

"I swear to God, Iokie, if you do what I think you're about to do, I'll kill you!" That was the last thing Sands remember as he felt a sharp blow to the back of his head, before he fell into darkness.

* * *

Translation:

_Redarguo attinet nililum- _Guilty of Nothing

Author's Note: Poor Sands, just can't catch a break right now... :( The interrogation scene/flash back gave me plenty of trouble, but thanks to my Partner in Crime, Scarlett Burns, we got it worked out.


	27. Lies

Eric accepted the cup of coffee from El and looked over at Marie, Danny and Antony, before looking back at El. "Did Sands or Sarah tell you why they were going to Prague?" He asked him.

El sat down with a sigh, glancing covertly at Antony and Danny. "Sands just said they had some work to do. Sarah of course said more."

"I take it things between you and Sarah are...good?" Eric asked, taking a sip of coffee.

El smiled, a bit more lose then his normal smile. "Things between Sarah and I are good. She said that Doddson wanted Jeff to track down and do away with, a mole in their Eastern Europe head quarters. The team was to back him up." El answered.

Eric noted with some surprise that El was that familiar with the team's job and the fact that he used Sands' second most common known name among his co-works.

"Yeah, that's about the basics of it." Eric answered with a nod.

"Alright, well, who the fuck were those guys?" Danny demanded.

"They weren't any of ours." Marie replied.

"They were shooting at you two, at the time, it seemed like." Antony said calmly.

Eric sighed. "You're right, but they were cartel. I've dealt with enough cartels to be able to tell them apart."

"And I don't think the CIA would hire our guitar toting friend." El muttered from his spot.

"He's right about that." Marie added. "The company's got plenty of soldiers, they could have sent in. Not to mention their own distinct brand of thugs. Who ever sent in that...that mariachi chose that type for a reason.."

"That would be me." El answered softly. "I was a mariachi before I was a... what's the word _fusil combatiente_..."

"Gun fighter?" Marie asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Si." El said with a thoughtful nod.

"So then they were after us..." Danny concluded, glaring at El suspiciously.

"No, they had plenty of time to attack us by ourselves..." Antony answered softly, thoughtful. "Who ever it was, was trying to kill two birds with one stone."

"Then there's only one conclusion." El replied, getting up.

"What's that?" Eric asked, watching the other man.

"Some one doesn't want us working together...So to find out who...all cards will have to go on the table..."

Danny sprang up. "Oh fuck no! I ain't working with them! This could all be a trap!"

"Hey, we're risking our jobs here!" Marie snapped back.

Eric grimaced. "Marie, we're risking more then our jobs..." He turned to Antony. "What we're doing could be considered no less then treason in most cases."

Antony eyed him. "And just WHAT are you doing?"

Eric hesitated, glanced briefly at Marie, then at El, and finally sighed. "We're here to do a little research, which will most likely get us killed if we screw up."

"You're still not givin' me enough to trust you." Antony replied in an eerie impression of Sands. Which got Eric really looking at him. There was something strikingly familiar about both Antony and Danny. And Eric wasn't a stupid man. But he bit his tongue and answered.

"We're finding out rather Sands did a very bad thing." He replied with a snapped tone.

Danny began to grin psychotically. "Very bad thing, very bad thing." He mused in a sing song tone.

Marie shivered involuntarily and glanced at Eric, who outwardly appeared calm. But he was beginning to wonder just what Sands was putting El through here.

"Yeah." Eric answered with a justifiable nod, as to which he was justifying was the mystery. That Sands did it, or that these guys were trouble, not only for El, but probably for himself and Marie.

"And you two?" Marie asked, managing some bravado.

Antony's grin was colder and far more frightening then Danny's psychotic sing song.

* * *

Golden Earring was cranking out 'Radar Love' as Washu floored the accelerator of her mustang, turning down an empty country road in upper state Virginia. Her destination was the mansion on the small hill. Doddson certainly liked his privacy. And had the money to insure it. 

There was a video surveillance and buzzer beside the gate and Washu rolled down her window to hit it. "Whom may I say is calling." Came a crisp reply.

"Asia Colt. Open the gate, he'll want to see me." Washu told the voice of the body guard on the other side.

There was a sharp buzz and the gate began to open. Washu tapped her fingers on the steering wheel in time with the song, even tapping her foot as she waited.

But once the gate was open enough, she pushed on the gas, throwing a spill of gravel as she drove quickly down the drive way. Throwing the car into park, and turning off the engine, she threw open her door.

Heels clicking on the gravel drive, she practically marched right up to the front door of the large house, where it was opening a moment before her knock, by the body guard. "Nice to see you recovered, Kramer." Washu noted, before heading down the hall, to the sound of Doddson's voice.

"It could have been anything, a fluke in the records room. Lets not jump to conclusions, John." Doddson said over his shoulder as he came out into the hall.

Washu stopped dead in her tracks, raising a perfect eyebrow. John Stevenson? Here? She eyed Doddson as he came to a stop. "What is HE doing here?" She hissed.

"I could ask you the same question, Officer Colt. Polite of you to give me a heart attack by using your code name." Doddson replied dryly.

"I'm in a hurry, Stephen, I leave for London in an hour." Washu said, checking her watch.

"Why are you going to London?" Doddson demanded.

Washu heard footsteps, and leaned forward, whispering as Stevenson came from the other room. "Because some one who would gladly see me DEAD at this moment is in town. And I've tracked two of the scientists of this little drama, to England. If I'm to get to the bottom of this, then I have to talk to these people."

John Stevenson appeared in the door way. He was a tall, lanky older gentleman, who'd once been very handsome. His suit was sharp and expensively tailored. His smile was warm and charming. "Miss Lee, is it now? It's been a long time."

"And it may have to be longer John, I'm in a bit of a hurry. Stephen, can I talk to you, in private?"

Doddson glanced at Stevenson, then placed a hand on Washu's back, steering her into the parlor. "Just a moment, John."

He shut the door behind him and turned on Washu. "What is going on, Asia?"

"Dr. Victor Gueviera came to see me tonight."

"Victor, here?!" Doddson questioned.

"Yes, said he'd put in for a transfer. Now you damn well know the bad blood between him and I, and I've never questioned you're keeping him on the pay roll, for what ever twisted little..." Washu trailed off for a second, but managed to stay calm, and allow her pause to seem like frustration and anger.

"Just keep him away from me!" She snapped, heading for the door. "I mean it Steven, or I wont be responsible for what I do." She pointed a finger at him, before yanking the door open and marching towards the front door.

Outside she yanked her jacket off as she got into her car. She had no time to check for a micro tracker. She'd just dispose of the jacket on the road. She slammed the door of the car and raved the engine, throwing it into reverse, before pulling around and speeding out of the already opening gate.

She was furious with herself. Why hadn't she seen it before. Gueviera was paid by the Company. Doddson over saw this. And by all accounts, by Sands' own words, it had been Gueviera who'd took his sight. All clues seemed to point to new pieces of the puzzle, but Washu had a sinking feeling they'd fit perfectly in the picture, one way or another.

Heading in the opposite direction of the way she'd come, she rolled down her window as she passed a field and threw her jacket out it. She'd make the fuckers work hard to find her. She wasn't a spy master for nothing.

Pulling a bag of cell phones from under the passenger's seat, she dug through them as the watched the road. Finding a blue one, she turned it on and dialed the long distance number from memory.

She was quiet pleased when the phone was answered.

"Special Agent Pendergast." Came the smooth southern docile voice, sweet as molasses.

"Hello, Darlin' Pendergast. Asia here." She replied with a smile as she turned a corner.

"To what do I owe this reunion after this long and desolate duration of no contact?" Pendergast replied.

"I need a favor, a big favor. So I'm calling in my debt." Washu replied with the utmost seriousness. She heard the silence on the other end, not even his breath, for a moment.

"Indeed. Shall we meet for tea?" He asked, with a turn of the phrase.

"Quiet charmed by your invitation." Washu replied, knowing he'd know the answer was yes. She quickly arranged a meeting place and time. It meant a quick stop over in New York, but it would prove very useful.

* * *

Sammy sat in the chair in the darkened room, restless and feeling positively awful about all this. He wished there'd been an easier way of going about this, for Jeff. He feared the more Jeff uncovered, the more imbalance he'd become. 

And Sammy remembered how he was at OMS. He'd flown back with Jeff and the security guards when Sands had been admitted to the hospital. The moment they hit the psych ward, all hell broke lose.

_The moment the locked doors had swung shut behind them, Sands suddenly buckled between his guards. "NO! NO NO NO NO NOOOO!!" Sands cried, dropping to the floor in the middle of the hall, rocking back and forth. "She's not dead! She can't be!" _

_Sammy turned around as the escorts went to grab Sands' arms. "Jeff!" He moved to his friend's side. "Come on, Jeff," He said soft and gently. "Don't do this here." _

_Still rocking back and forth, Sands raised his head slowly, staring at Sammy. Then a deep set hatred sprang up in Sands' eyes and he lunged forward, wrapping his hands around Sammy's neck. But Sammy realized the struggle was not with the intent to kill, but rather the intent to flee. _

_"Jeff!" He gasped. "Don't do this!" _

_The escorts sprang forward, grabbing Sands arms and pried him from Sammy and back. But Sands' wild fighting with them, caused them to reapply their grasp on him. _

_He bit down on one man's had so hard he drew blood, which he spat into the other man's face as they wrestled with him. He kicked hard, hitting any target on the men that he could. _

_"Restrain him!" Shouted a doctor as he and a few nurses and orderly ran down the hall towards them. _

_Sammy sit up, too stunned to do anything but watch, as two orderlies seized Sands from the escorts' grasp as a nurse inspected the one man's hand. The orderlies slammed Sands' back into the wall repeatedly until Sands stopped struggling. They held him there, as the doctor rushed forward, sinking a nasty looking syringe in Sands' neck. _

_Another orderly helped Sammy off the floor as he heard the doctor say angrily, "Put him in a straight jacket! Right this minute!" _

_"Hey! Wait a second, there's no fucking need for a straight jacket!" Sammy snapped in Sands' defense as the two orderlies took a sterile white straight jacket from a nurse and began wrestling the now unconscious Sands into it. _

_The doctor hardly looked up from the chart that was handed to him, as he replied. "This is not your area of expertise Officer, and this is my floor." _

_"But he wasn't trying to kill me!" Sammy replied sharply. _

_"By the looks and accounts of several witnesses here, he was." The doctor replied logically. _

_Sammy's hands suddenly shot forward and wrapped around the collar of the doctor's coat, dragging him closer, just as the two escorts had grabbed his arms. _

_"You're in on this whole scheme aren't you?!" He hissed in the doctor's face. _

_The doctor adjusted his glasses and said all to calmly, "I haven't a slightest clue of what you're referring to. Now get him out of here, before I admit him as well!" The doctor snapped at the two escorts that began dragging Sammy back the way they'd come. _

_He shook them off on the other side of the open again locked doors and pointed a finger at the doctor. "You're going to regret fucking with him, man! No body fucks with Sands!" _

_"Lets go, Sam." Said an escort, pulling at his sleeve. _

_Sammy glared once last time at the doctor and turned, heading for the elevators. All Sammy wanted to do at this moment, was get as far away from Sands as possible. He was afraid Sands' mood was becoming his own, and he couldn't deal with that kind of insanity. _

_

* * *

__But he did come back in a few weeks. Sarah had begged him to come with her to see Sands, when they'd been cleared to visit him. Sammy had done it for Sarah's sake, although he was already regretting it profusely. But he'd been entirely grateful to Eric Cameron for tagging along. _

_"We heard the basics about it, of course." He said as they headed up the steps of the OMS. _

_"Big news travels fast among busy mouths." Sammy found himself quoting Sands, and they all knew it. _

_"Well, when an agent of Sands...magnitude ends up in this kind of trouble..." Eric let the statement hang. _

_"You don't believe it, do you!?" Sarah demanded, almost rounding on Cam. _

_"No, I don't believe that shit load of rumors, but come on Sarah. He's taken a heavy fall this time." Eric replied. _

_Sammy shook his head at Sarah's protectiveness over Sands, when most of the time it seemed like they despised each other. _

_"You've been briefed right?" Sammy asked his friend. _

_"Yes, yes, not a word to Jeff." Eric replied with a sigh as the entered the hospital. _

_"Is this not fucked up, or what?" Sammy asked suddenly as they stepped into the elevator. _

_"Certainly...questionable, but then the Company usually has some good reason behind it, I mean there's got to be some logical explanation to all this." _

_Sarah snorted. "When you find it, let us know, k?" Sammy and Eric stayed wisely silent after that. _

_"Although, he probably wouldn't remember anything anyway, today, cause they've kept him heavily sedated." Sammy said after moment as they got off on the sixth floor. He felt Sarah's blow to his shoulder, hard and went silent. _

_Behind the nurse's station was a locked gate, and beyond that, the patient rooms, a rec room and a inclosed porch. They could see a balcony behind the glass walls and a few patients shuffling around with in the high fenced area. _

_"Can I help you?" A grouchy old nurse asked at the nurse's station. _

_"We're here to visit Sheldon Sands." Sammy explained. _

_The nurse groaned. "The patient from hell...well, you're the first visitors he's had."_

_Sammy was forced to glance at Cam, who shared a silent, slight smile with him, at the nurse's title for Sands. Of course he was giving the nursing staff trouble, they all knew he would. He wouldn't be Sands other wise. They'd had been very worried if he wasn't giving the nursing staff hell._

_"You'll have to sign the books, and if he gets aggravated, you'll have to leave." The nurse said. _

"Right." Sammy nodded, signing the book, before handing the pen to Sarah, who passed it to Cam. When they'd finished signing, the nurse pushed a button, there was a buzz, and the gate opened up.

_As they crossed through, they found an orderly waiting for them. He was tall, muscular., with a bald head and artisan chiseled features. _

_"What's up, I'm Dom. It's the doctor's orders you can't go see Jeff with out an orderly present, due to his...violent nature." The man said. _

_Sarah frowned. "Has he been THAT violent?" She asked as they started down the hall. _

_"He was the first few days. Busted up two orderlies. Broke one's arm and shattered the other's knee cap, bit a chunk out one of their hands...singled handed and un armed." Dom explained as they walked. _

_"He's well trained in hand to hand..." Sammy muttered remembering that night. _

_"They had to put him in a straight jacket and the observation room at the end of the hall for the first two nights, he was more a danger to himself." Dom told them. _

_"How so?" Cam asked. _

"Well they did find his Colt Combat Elite on him..." Dom muttered.

_"Ouch...I wondered what happened to that pistol..." Sammy muttered shaking his head. _

_"It's a sweet ass gun, to say the least." Dom said, with a slight grin. _

_"Where is it?" Sammy asked, suddenly on the defensive about Sands' favorite piece of hardware. _

_"I'm holdin' on to it for him. He knows. I'll get it back to him once he gets out of here." Dom said. "I didn't want to see the security officers claim it, so I bribed one of them, said Jeff was an old friend of mine. The chief of security was eyeing it, before the one guy gave it over to me." _

_"Right, make sure he gets it back, or you'll have to answer to us." Sarah muttered, giving Dom a dark look. _

_"Don't worry, he'll get it." Dom said as they stopped at a room. He peaked in as a petit red headed nurse came out. "He ain't in here..." _

_"No, that's because he's outside, around the corner from the windows..." The nurse answered. _

_"Alex, you weren't supposed to let him..." Dom said with a serious look. _

_"He wanted to be alone. Which reminds me, he's antsy for a smoke." The nurse, named Alex said, writing something on her clip board, but glancing down the hall towards the nurse's station. _

_"I'll give him one of mine." Dom said with a nod, heading for the porch. "See, technically he can only smoke at designated times which means waiting for the nurse to light them, no one on this floor can carry a lighter, safety reasons, but I don't know, Alex and I slip him a couple now and then." Dom told the group as they headed outside. _

_Sarah had to smirk. "He gets belligerent if he doesn't get his fag, or coffee." She said. _

_"Oh, he's already complained about the coffee, trust me." Dom answered with a grin as they went around the corner of the porch, out of sight of the windows. _

_Sands was standing, leaning against the wall, his head down, hair pulled back. But he looked pale, and thin. He was dressed in gray sweat pants and a white t shirt and quiet possibly, did not look like the Sands they knew. _

_"Yo, man, you got some visitors." Dom announced, taking a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and handing one to Sands who nodded his thanks and waited for Dom to light it. "I'll be around the corner, watching for the harpy." Dom said with a slight smile, before leaving the group alone. _

_"Hello Jeff." Sarah said softly, stepping forward. "How are you feeling." _

_"Oh, peachy fuckin' keen, Sizzle." Sands replied cheerfully, looking up at them finally. Sarah was startled to see the dead and hallow look in his eyes. The look in his eyes would have said he didn't recognize them. He was numb to anything. _

_Sarah took a step back, biting her lip. "We thought we'd...come see you." She said softly, she'd been carrying a small overnight bag of clothes. "I brought some of your shirts, you know, your favorite ones." She offered a smiled, but there were tears in her eyes as she held the bag out. _

_He didn't reach for it and Sarah dropped her arm, looking at Sammy. Sammy placed a hand on her shoulder, looking at Jeff. "You're looking..." He trailed off, frowning. _

_Not even Cam could think of something to say. It wasn't Sands standing before them. His arms were bandaged, from the bi-cep, to the wrist in white bandage, with gauze sleeves over them. _

_"What happened to your arms, man?" Sammy asked, frowning more. _

_"Sliced them open." Sands said, almost to cheerfully as he took a drag. Sammy grimaced and Sarah looked at the ground. "Don't supposed any of you've heard from Cerise?" Sands asked, tapping the ashes off and looking at them. When no one said anything, he sighed and shrugged. "Ah well, the sooner I get out of here, the sooner I can rip Monterio's heart out." He said conversationally. _

_"Jeff, stop it!" Sarah cried. "Just stop! This whole business is bad enough, with out you going after revenge!" _

_"Do you think I really give a fuck of how it makes you feel, Darcy?" Sands asked dangerous and frighteningly cold. _

_"We're your friends, Jeff!" Sarah cried, on the point of tears. _

_"No sugar butt, you're not." He whispered in a calm, soft tone and for a moment life sprang up in his eyes, but it was a deep, and cold hatred. _

_Sarah gasped and turned, shoving through Cam and Sammy and disappearing around the corner, still carrying the bag. _

_"Bad form!" Sammy snapped. _

_Sands just stared boredly at him, looking as if he could care less and the light, even if it was hatred, died in his eyes again. He took one last drag from the cigarette and dropped it, grounding it out with the heel of his sneaker, before walking through the little space Sarah and cleared, with out a word. _

_Sammy and Cam exchanged a look and followed. Dom was opening the door for Sands who went back inside with out a word and was heading for his room. Sarah was at the nurse's station, watching him, crying. Dom offered Sammy and Cam a sympathetic look. _

_Sammy clinched his fists, watching Sands. He couldn't take this. He could deal with a volatile and hostile Sands, but this numb, unfeeling side of him, Sammy couldn't take, and he knew neither could Sarah. _

_"I think we've lost him." Cam said so softly that Sammy almost didn't hear the words. He looked at his old friend, and swallowed hard. _

_"Damn Eric, I pray to God not..." Sammy replied softly. Cam shook his head, shoving his hands in his pockets. _

_"So do I, Sam." He said just as soft as the two headed down the hall towards the nurse's station. Sarah was talking to the nurse, Alex as they approached. _

_"He's been like that since they let him out of the straight jacket." Alex said softly, leaning on the nurse's station and looking down the hall. "It's heart breaking really. One of our night nurses, Tracy, said she knew him before all this and he was just so...charismatic." _

_"He was..." Sarah said softly, looking at the carpet. "A little crazy, a bit of an asshole, but he...was a great guy..." It hurt her more to say was, then anything else. "Anyway," She squeaked, holding up the overnight bag. "I brought some of his things..." _

_Alex gave her a soft smile as she took the bag. "Don't worry, I'll make sure he gets it." _

_'Thank you." Sarah answered as Sammy placed a hand on her shoulder. _

"Ready?" He asked her softly. She nodded and Sammy looked at Alex. "Thank you...for lookin' after him."

_"Well, he may give everyone 'round here hell, but he's such a handsome guy, I can't resist." Alex said with a grin. _

_Sammy eyed her. He never knew why he said it, but he spoke. "I wouldn't even try to get close to him, darlin'. He's in love already." _

_Alex stood a little straighter, her ears reddening. "Really? Lucky girl." She said softly. _

_"More then you know," Sammy replied, glancing down the hall. "More then you know..." He put his hand on Sarah's back and led the way back out of the gate. Cam followed them._

* * *

Author's Note: In regards to what Sammy remembers of visiting Sands in the psych ward, it was written completely from Sammy's point of view. I don't know if I could ever really cover it, from Sands' side.

And the name of the game now is, WHO is the enemy... :)

Thanks to my readers for their most encouraging reviews. Dawnie-7: Thanks for that, I was really happy with the final draft of the interrogation scene. :) Sandsagent: Yes, yes...it may get a wee bit dangerous. ;)

And a extra special BIG thank you, to my Partner in Crime, Scarlett Burns for, a.) Eric Cameron, who is soully her character, but fits so well into this one...Remember, Eric, darling, you're having MUCH more fun in Wilderness of Mirrors then here. ;) and b.) Listening to me bounce idea back and forth at all hours of the night on messanger. Not to mention, just generally being my partner in crime. ;)


	28. Death of a Friendship

Sammy was brought out of his thoughts by the sound of footsteps and he looked up to see Carmichael coming in. Sitting with his hands clasped between his knees, Sammy sneered at Carmichael.

"Tell me again, why we're doing this?"

"For his safety, Tiger." Carmichael said cheerfully.

"This is bullshit Tom. You know that when he finds out what our roles in this fucked up play, he'll come gunning for us." Sammy snapped back.

"Maybe." Carmichael said optimistically. Which only irritated Sammy.

"I know this man, Tom! I've seen the best and the worst of him! I've lived months on end, in the same safe house with him, to know him very well!" Carmichael just shrugged. Sammy sneered. "And I'll tell you something else. I am sick! Sick and tired of following all these God damned orders! How can you expect him to be loyal to you, and Doddson and all the rest if all you do is feed him lies! Lies just to cover up mistakes you all made!"

Carmichael just looked at him calmly and replied in a even tone. "Tiger, you don't know HALF the mistakes we made. Or how connected Sands is to them..."

It was such a numbing statement that for a moment, all Sammy could do was gap at the man. Then he snapped his mouth shut and glared. "He'll get back at us, one way or another. Mark my words."

"Tell me something, Sammy. Would you be willin' to protect him at the cost of betrayin' your country?" Carmichael asked, eyeing Sammy.

"Betraying my country?" Sammy raised an eyebrow.

But Carmichael snorted and shook his head, almost bemused. "Guess you ain't the friend t' help him after all."

Sammy ran a hand through his hair, letting both the question and musing sink into his mind. "No, maybe I'm not. The only one who can really help him, is presumed dead, again."

"She's smart enough to stay under cover for a time, with Dupree running around town." Carmichael answered.

Sammy straightened up. "You intend to keep him for getting to Dupree, don't you."

"Dupree still has his usefulness." Carmichael answered and Sammy took a step back away from Carmichael, suddenly very suspicious of Carmichael.

"Useful? A homicidal maniac is useful?!" Sammy snapped in disbelief. I can't believe the shit I'm hearin'!" Sammy headed for the door, and was three steps away from it, when the shot ruffled by his ear.

"Walkin' out that door, Officer Iokie, would be about the stupidest thing you could do." Carmichael spoke slowly.

Sammy didn't turn around. "You gonna shoot me, Tom?" He asked with a sneer.

"For the good of this operation, I will." Carmichael replied with a nod.

"The operation, or the lies?"

Sammy got his answer when Carmichael didn't reply. "You came out of retirement, for this..."

"What can I say, Officer. I'm the villian of this peice." Carmichael came forward and at gun point relieved Sammy of his gun. Then pushed Sammy toward a chair. "You see, before Sands' memory was erased, he knew some very interesting details, concerning me. Now you can imagine how I felt about that idea, him knowing those details. So when they had to erase all those details from that disastrous experiment of theirs, I offered to train Sands as my replacement." He pushed Sammy into the chair, and still at gun point handcuffed his hands behind the chair back.

"I trained him, keeping an eye on him, and when I felt sure he wouldn't betray those details, I retired."

"In your own unique style." Sammy rolled his eyes.

"I admit, it was rather brilliant having Sands pull the trigger for me. Who would have expected that the student, disposed of his teacher."

Sammy shifted, disgusted by the man's ego. "So when you think he's about to recover those memories, you resurface, to keep him for it."

"And remove ALL traces of evidence. I admit, was a gamble involving Sands' brothers. I had rather hoped their family fued would have kept them from being a help to Sands."

"Brothers?" Sammy started, looking at the man.

"Why, didn't you know?" Carmichael asked. "His brothers, Antony and Danny Kilpatrick. You're familiar with their dioceses aren't you Officer Iokie. You see, Antony's one fatel weakness, was his protectiveness over a brother, he lost nearly fifteen years ago when Sands entered the Farm. A fool to be sure."

There was a soft thud, behind Carmichael's back and Sammy glanced that way briefly, to see Sands leaning against the door frame with a compact 9.mm in his hand.

His voice was strained, but he sneered out in that soft dangerous tone, "A fool you should never underestimate, Tom."

Tom started to turn quickly. But Sands pulled the trigger, stumbling from the door way and still pulling the trigger. "It wasn't enough I shot you once, now I have to do it again!" He hissed.

Carmichael stumbled back, falling over, going still, eyes glassed with surprise.

Sands stumbled slightly, caught himself on the back of Sammy's chair, who'd raised his arms up to a height that Sands wouldn't have to bend down to them. He undid the cuffs with shaky fingers and had to grab the chair again, to pull himself up as Sammy got up.

"Where's Martitus?"

"Outside." Sammy answered, grabbing his gun and Sands' holster. Sands shouldered it on, after concealing the nine again and was about to step shakily toward the door, before he sneered at Sammy. "Care to point me in the right direction."

Sammy grinned slightly and plucked at Sands' sleeve as he broke into a sprint, heading for the door. "This way, Jeff."

Sands suddenly found himself silently mocking Sammy and took a deep breath, summoning up the last of his energy, before following Sammy.

They retrieved Martitus and slid into the shadows of the field outside the ware house Carmichael was using. As they ran in a crouch, Sammy asked. "Got a plan, Jeff?"

Sands paused, crouching, his head turning, listening to the sounds around him. There was the faint sound of a car a head of them. Deciding on that direction, Sands replied to Sammy. "Fuck off, Iokie."

"What? What are you talking about? I h-"

Sands' hand shot out and he grasped Sammy by the throat, pulling his face closer. "Lets get the facts straight amigo. I APPRECIATE what you did back there, planting the bug's speaker in my room, so I'd hear the whole conversation, you puttin' your life on risk and everything to get me that information. But I don't trust you. I was a fool to trust you once before. I never will again." He shoved Sammy back from him, standing, with Martitus' leash curled around his hand.

"So unless you're ready to die, Iokie, fuck off." Sands gestured.

"Jeff, don't be ridiculous!" Sammy snapped, standing up.

Sands turned back towards him and asked him in a patronizing tone, "Do you remember Murphy's Law, Samuel?"

"What?!" Sammy blinked.

"Murphy's Law..." Sands drawled with mock patients.

"For...uh..ever action is an opposite and equal reaction?" Sammy asked perplexed.

"Not that one, the other one." Sands replied, slightly annoyed at Sammy's idioms.

"Jeff..."

"If anything can go wrong, it most usually will. Which is why, you'd best take this opportunity to get the fuck off, because, well, anything can happen." Sands began walking, knowing Sammy would follow anyway. So he kept talking. "For instance, you could stumble and break your ankle, and I'd have to leave you here..."

"Jeff..." Sammy tried again.

"Or say we meet up with some ravenous bear, well then I would feel the need to flee, leaving you behind to get eaten." He smiled smugly at Sammy. "Or," He cut the other man off. "Say you stumble infront of a semi. Well I am after all no superman."

"Jeffrey, is there a point to all of this?"

"The POINT is that I don't want you around me. I don't want to be around YOU and I certainly don't want you around my dog... Get the picture, comrade?" Sands asked, ending his tone sarcastically.

Sammy shook his head. "You're a fucking whack job, you know that. I'm here to help you, no lies on that!"

"I don't want your fucking help, I told you that at Dupree's, but you still don't listen. Now I'm giving you a fucking chance!" Snapped Sands, drawing his Colt and cocking it. "Either get the fuck out of my way, or I swear, on the life of my daughter, I will pull the trigger!" Sands hand began to shake, he swallowed, trying to stifle the tremor. "Make the fucking choice!" He hissed dangerously. He didn't want to do it, but he would. "Don't make me make the choice for us!"

Sammy backed off, standing straighter. He knew when to back off. "Alright Jeff." He whispered. "I'm wont try to help you any more..."

"Not good enough." Sands replied wickedly.

Sammy grimaced. "Alright...alright...I'll leave. Truce?"

Sands shook his head as he aimed the gun. "No truce Sammy. This is the end."

"End?" Sammy echoed, swallowing.

Sands' face was a mask of stone, his voice was dead and hallow, but the words struck harder then any bullet and Sands knew that they would. The fact that Sands had no trouble saying them, only made them that much unberable for Sammy. "What ever traces of friendship, we might have had, Samuel Iokie, died, in that alley way tonight. If our paths ever cross, I swear to God, I will kill you."

With that, he turned, holstering the weapon and walking away from Sammy in the darkness of the night. Sammy stood there, unable to move, watching the man disappear. It may have been the better thing, but Sammy still felt numb.

* * *

He used the sound of his footsteps on the road side, to keep him going in what he was praying was the right direction back into the city. Martitus put a kink in his plan, but he was rewriting it as he went anyway. Murphy's Law was playing out awfully well as of late. Everything had gone completely and utterly wrong and if it wasn't enough, he was sporting a horrid headache. 

He heard a car approach and slow and was in the process of making up his mind to accept a ride, if it was one, or decline, when he heard a window being lowered. "Need a lift?" A man asked.

Sands stopped in his tracks, turning towards what he discovered was an old pick up. But he knew the voice. "Ivan?" It was the bar tender Sands had met the night of his fight with Cerise.

Ivan peered closer. "Well if it isn't the American stranger...wife problems again?" He asked, with a touch of humor.

"If only." Sands snorted, but there was a trace of a smile on his face despite himself. He genially liked Ivan's company. The man was smart enough to know when to be quiet.

"Are you headed back to town or leaving it?" Ivan asked gently.

Sands sighed. "I'd almost leave if I could. Was just getting some air." He lied.

"I can give you and your...companion there a ride back into the city." Ivan said, leaning over to glance at Martitus.

"Obliged." Sands answered, fumbling a moment to open the door. He slid in the passenger's side. "Matitus, In." He commanded the dog, who jumped up and curled at Sands' feet on the floor board.

The drive back into the city was quiet. But comfortably silent. Sands leaned back into the seat, while he scratched Martitus' ears, relishing

the silence and small bit of peace the ride provoked.

Ivan dropped him off at the address Sands had given him. A simple apartment building in the worker's district. A place Sands had kept from long ago. A place to himself, that the team did not know of.

"Thanks Ivan. Much appreciated." Sands said warily, getting out of the trunk with Matitus.

"You're welcome my friend. Good night." With that Ivan drove off.

Sands turned to the apartment building and felt along a crumbled wall of brick, before sliding his hand into a small looking hole. He pulled out the spare key the building owner left there and unlocked the door, before pushing the key back in it's place.

Closing the door behind him, he mounted the steps and headed towards his third floor apartment, he had the key to his apartment in his wallet. A spare anyway. For emergencies. Arriving at his door, he slid his wallet out and unlcoked the door. He slipped in and locked the door behind him, uncliping Martitus leash.

"Modo trucido me nunc." just kill me now He muttered desperately to the dark, thin air as he moved further into the apartment. The location of everything was imprinted on his mind and he crossed the room to the tiny balcony and dug in the cabinet next to it, removing a bottle of whiskey.

Digging in his pockets, he found his pack of cigarettes and lit one, unscrewing the cap of the whiskey as he opened the balcony door. And stepped out into the cold night air. He had such a headache, he couldn't even began to comprehend what had gone on in the space of the night. And he imagined it was close to dawn.

He leaned againt the wall, taking a long drag, before raising the whiskey bottle to his lips. As if knowing he couldnt' take any more, his legs gave way and he slid down the wall until he was leaning against it. He took another generous swing of alcohol and leaned the back of his head against the cold stone.

In the relative silence, Sands began putting all the clues together, that he had of the night. There was no doubt about who blew up Jack Ruex's apartment building. He knew exactly who'd done that, and why. And he prayed, to what ever powers were listening, that Cerise was just lying low, because if she hadn't made it out of that building, Sands was willing to give up his humanity this time, for revenge.

But there was an intricate plot to the whole thing, something that was nagging at him. First, the fact that Luke and Logan had acted the way they had. They were privey to more information then Sands first thought, which now, only made him question who they were REALLY working for. Second,, the fact that Sarah Darcy had contacted Cyprus, to warn him that Sands was coming his way.

Third was Cyprus trying to stop him, but neglecting to get Brutus to do the job, when the man could have easily over powered him. Forth was Carmichael...and his revelation. Just how true was what Carmichael said?

Then Sands slapped himself in the forhead, rather hard, as his head bounced off the back of the stone. "Ow...fuck!" He'd realized his fatal error concerning Carmichael. Instead of checking to see if the man was actually dead, he and Sammy had fled the premises. How could he have been so stupid!

Sands grimaced at the word and swore again. "Stupid fuck!" He growled at himself, downing another swallow of whiskey. Then he downed another for good measure. Then he thought of Sammy. No, he didn't want to think of Sammy. He really didn't want to think of any of it. He was emotionally, and psychically tired and to close to his edge. He polished off the bottle and leaned his head back again, letting his mind wonder to, better things for lack of word.

* * *

He didn't know how long he was a sleep, or even remembered falling asleep, but he came to, with the realization that some one had just closed the front door of the apartment. Where he was sitting, no one could see him. Martitus was laying across his legs, the only tall tale sing, was in short, Martitus tail end. 

He heard the footsteps coming his way and slid his Colt from his holster, behind his back, till he was almost sitting on it.

"Jeff?" Came a soft woman's voice, one he almost barked a laugh at hearing.

_OF course, where ever Iokie is, Mac Harly is. _He sneered to himself.

But he didn't answer her. He waited, in the same spot. And as her footsteps drew nearer, he ran over in his mind every possible way this could go. And for what reason. He heard her feet hit the open balcony, but still stayed silent.

"Oh, Jeff. Look at you." Mac sighed, crouching beside the door. "You look like shit."

"So eloquently put, sugar lips." Sands replied, his throat dry and voice harsher then normal.

"Get up." She commanded, grabbing a hold of Sands collar, pulling him up.

Sands slid the gun into his back waist band and hoped she wasn't going to put him infront of her if she inteded to march him off the balcony. He suddenly felt the muzzle of a gun under his chin and was finally forced to bark that laugh. "Taken lessons, darlin?"

"Do you know you're more fucking trouble then you're worth..." Mac hissed, her face close to his.

He fell into a tired laughter then, and said softly, quoting, "_Well the night weighs heavy on his guilty mind, This far from the borderline and when the hit man comes, he knows damn well he has been cheated_."

Mac was silent, assessing him. Then she dropped the gun to her side. "You really are off your rocker, aren't you Jeff." She let go of him, taking a step back into the apartment.

Sands stood lose, trying to anticipate her next move. But his mind was still fogged from the sleep he'd been needing, or the alcohol, or both. He wasn't sure. Probably both, most likely both.

Mac shook her head, holstering her gun. "Damn Jeff." She sighed.

"Is there a reason why you're in my place, Harly?" Sands asked finally, the words sounding stupid in his own ears. He already had a pretty good idea of WHY.

"And how did you get in anyway?" He asked, sounding even stupider.

"I have a key remember." She said a slight husky tone to her voice as she closed the distence between them again. This time, when her hands touched his chest, it was an intimate.

Sands didn't move, even as he felt her nuzzle his neck. "Jeff...why?" She whispered coyly.

Sands stayed silently, locking down each emotion, one by one. He heard her shy, resting her forehead against his shoulder. 'I miss us." She said softly.

"It was only lust, darlin'." Sands replied bluntly.

"It didn't have to be." She replied earnestly.

"It was never going to be anything else...and you know it."

"You're a cold hearted man. I don't know why Cerise loves you." Mac snapped back, taking a step away from him. Sands snatched her wrist, however, dragging her close, his face terribly close to hers.

"What Cerise and I have, you wouldn't even begin to comprehend." He hissed.

"**I **still love you." She whispered, drawing him even closer.

Part him wanted him to pull away, the other half didn't give a damn any more, and he gave into that side, as her lips pressed against him. He found his right arm around her, pulling her closer as the kiss deepened, but his left hand was reaching behind his back, securing a grip on his Colt Combat Elite.

She pulled back from the kiss, leaning her forehead against him and it was the only thing that stilled his hand. "There's a bag on the hall table, with several audio tapes in it. You'll want to listen to those. I can't do this. I can't be the one to silence you."

Sands swallowed, still holding the Colt, now at his side. "I can't trust you, Mackinzie..."

"I know." She whispered, before kissing him again, gently, tenderly. As she kissed him, he felt her hand on his, the hand that held the gun. She brought it between them. Sands attempted to pull back, to access what she was doing, but the arm around his neck, held him firm in place. He felt her finger slid over his, on the trigger and he managed to pull back to speak. "Mac, don't. Not this way!" He said, a hidden desperation in his tone.

"It's the only way." She whispered, pulling him back into the kiss, and before Sands could stop her, she pushed his finger down, forcing him to pull the trigger. Sands stumbled back on to the balcony as Mac's body dropped to the floor, the gunshot wound fatal. He dropped the gun, wiping his palms on his pants.

Then he ran his fingers through his hair. "You fool, Mac! You fucking fool!" He hissed at the body on the floor. He sat down against the door frame, hearing birds chirping in the distance. But he couldn't move.

"Just for a moment." He whispered tiredly as he felt Martitus' head on his arms that rested on his knees. He lowered his head, trying to find a firm ground in his mind, but echos of ghosts from the past stirred restless and he found no peace there. "What have you done to yourself, Sands." He asked himself out loud after a moment, before giving a strangled sound, close to a sob.

Finally, he stumbled to his feet, grabbing his gun, and managed to step over Mac's body. Martitus followed silently. Grabbing the dog's leash from the hall table, he located the bag, Mac had mentioned and snatched it as well.

Clipping Martitus leash, he opened the door and locked it behind him as he stepped into the hall, with both the black bag and dog in hand. Taking a moment, he drew a deep breath and headed down the hall.

Stepping out into frosty early morning, came a different man. There was a slightly wicked smile on his lips. Even Martitus seemed to note a change in his master. Sands turned into the alley way and began taking a circut of short cuts, winding curving route to his next destination.

* * *

Sarah stood at the window, looking out at the street below. She was worried. IT had been a restless night, waiting, with out raido contact. Not knowing anything, not knowing what her superior wanted. Not knowing where Sands was. That last part bothered her the most. 

"I've stood by that man, in the best and the worse..." She muttered as Letty approached with a cup of coffee for her.

"There's nothing you could have done, Sarah." Letty said softly, passing the cup to her.

Sarah snorted bitterly, taking a sip. "It was my job, Letty, to see that both came out safe and sound. And look what happened."

"You couldn't have prevented it, Sarah, even if you'd wanted to, it was out of your hands."

Sarah looked at the young woman. "You really think so?" She asked a slight sneer in her tone and she hoped Letty didn't take it personally.

Letty sighed, looking out the window, but wisely didn't answer. Sarah turned her own attention back to the window.

But after a long moment, couldn't stand it any more. She suddenly slammed open the window and threw her coffee cup with as much effort as she could. "Fuck this!" She snapped.

Letty jumped, startled at Sarah's outburst. "Sarah?"

Sarah was heading across the room, towards the main door, grabbing her holster and jacket. "If he calls back, with orders, hold them. I've got some business to attend to." She said, opening the front door.

"But Sarah-" Luke called, but was answered with the shut of the door. The remaining four exchanged a look.

"Now what?" Ryan asked.

"We wait." Logan said softly, going back to his book as if nothing happened.

She cut through a park, making her way silently, unnoticed. But she had no idea for what she was about to run into. She turned the corner entering into a tunnel that ran under the street, when she saw him, standing a the mouth, looking all the devil at the gates of hell, his faithful hell hound beside him.

She slowed her walking, as he raised his head. "You followed me." She stated, as she stopped all together.

"Wasn't that hard Darcy." He replied nonplused.

She shuddered, despite herself, as she was caught with the feeling that he was staring through her again. "You plan on killing me here, in the open?" She asked, trying to appear being cold, rather then spooked.

He gave her a feral grin. "Do you have a good reason why I should let you live?" He baited.

She sneered at him. "You son of a bitch. You know perfectly well, anything I've ever DONE was for your own protection!" She hissed.

His grin increased. "You're letting your emotions control you again, Darcy. Didn't I tell you that was bad for your health."

"What do you want, Sands?" Sarah asked dejectedly with a sigh.

He raised a finger to his lips, still grinning. "Shh...it's a secret...come here." He beckoned, curling his finger at her, still grinning.

Sarah swallowed, as she watched him turn and disappear into the darkness of the tunnel. She swore, and stomped her foot on the ground in fustration.

"Sarah..." He called from with in the darkness, to get her to follow. Sarah sighed irritably and moved towards the shadows of the tunnel.

"What are you playing at Sands?!" She demanded into the darkness.

"Come and see, Sarah..." Sands beckoned from the shadows.

Sarah took two steps into the tunnel and let her training take over. Pulling her serves piece from her holster, she cocked it holding it a good grip at her side as she entered the tunnel. If one of them was going to pull the trigger, he wouldn't be the only one.

She saw ahead and slightly to her left, a brief flame and the red ember of a cigarette. Her only indication as the where Sands was, and she turned that way, moving towards him a few steps, before stoping. "Sands..."

He cut her off. "Where am I to go, Sarah, when I've gone to far?" He asked her quizzically.

She cocked her head to the side, wary. "Sands...I don't know..."

"You'll come to know when the bullet hits the bone..." He extinguished the cigarette after a drag, taking away her only defense of knowing where he was.

Sarah tried to still herself, to listen intently, but she couldn't quiet hear over the pounding of her own heart.

So when Sands spoke next, she jumped. "You'll take this bag, Darcy, and you'll hold on to it, until I claim it. You will not open it, you will not let any one else open it. And you'll do this Darcy, or you wont walk out of this alley way alive." He hissed in her ear, pressing the strap of a bag into her hand.

"If you feel any loyalty to me, any at all, don't ask questions and keep your mouth shut. Can you do this, Darcy?"

"Sands I don't see- OW!"

He'd grabbed ahold of her hair, yanking her head back. "Can you do this?" He hissed sharper in ear.

"Yes." She breathed, seeing his face next to her's, materializing out of the shadows like a nightmare.

"Good." With that he let her go and silence suddenly feel in the tunnel. Sarah was left holding the proverbial bag. "Sands?"

Silence.

"Sands!" She snapped. and was met a moment later by the sound of footsteps at the other end of the tunnell. She took off running in that direction.

But when she emerged from the tunnel, she saw no sign of Sands, or Martitus for that matter. "Damn it!" She swore, kicking at a discarded soda can.

* * *

There was more then one way to skin a cat in Sands' opinion. And he had a lot of cats to skin. Turning into the Regency Hotel, he tightend his hold on his leash and approached the front desk with a confident stride that was all his own. 

"Can we help you?" The man at the counter said.

Sands slipped his wallet out and placed his visa on the counter. "A suite, and do you have a kennel?"

The man picked up the credit card. "OF course, Mr. Templar."

It didn't take long to get a room, which was on the fifth floor. A bellhop was ordered to take him up to the room, regardless of the fact that he had no bags. As far as the hotel was concerned, they were dealing with a wealthy customer.

The bell hop unlocked the door, ushering Sands in. "This is the sitting room. There's the master bed room, and over there is the mini bar and kitchenette. Would you like to see the master bath room?"

"No." Sands said bluntly.

The bellhop grimaced. "Is there anything I can get you?"

Sands held up an American fifty. "Yeah, a tape record. And I need it now."

The bellhop hesitated, then took the fifty. "Right away sir." He back out of the hotel room, shutting the door. Sands moved to it and locked it. He uncliped Martitus' leash and reached into his coat pocket, pulling out his extendable cane.

The headache Sands had, made it virtually impossible to really see anything but shadows, and time was of the essence. He'd have to familiarize himself with the hotel room, quick.

Taking a deep breath and shoving his sunglasses back up his nose, he began making his way to the left, that indicated the doors to the master bed room.

It was the work of fifteen minutes before Sands had meticulously felt out everything, learned the location of everything. Folding up his cane, he put it back in his pocket and sat down on the bed, digging out his cellphone. It was a gamble to make the call, but he had to know.

He dialed the number from memory and waited for the other line to pick up.

"Yes?"

"Hello, El!" Sands said cheerfully, digging through his pocket for his lighter.

"I suppose this is your way of checking in?" El asked with a sigh. He'd gotten up from the chair he'd been sitting in at that moment, and slipped outside, before anyone else had noticed.

"Spoken with The Siz lately?" Sands asked, laying back on the bed, an arm behind his head.

"Sarah? No..." El answered slowly. "Why..."

"Is why REALLY important, here? I mean..WHY am I counting on you to help those two men that should be with you now. Are they there, El?"

"They are. And so is Eric Cameron and another woman."

Sands sat up straight. "What's Cameron doing there?" He hissed into the phone.

El was silent a moment.

"El, I can still here you breathing..." Sands sneered. "What is he doing there, El?"

"He said he was here to do some work, that would most likely get him killed. Don't ask me for the details, I know none. But if you ask me, I think it has to do with your sorry ass." El spat back.

"Well, that's just fun-fucking-tastic, El..." Sands replied dryly. "Watch him!" He growled through clenched teeth.

"Well, I haven't been left with much choice in the matter, now have I?" El shot back.

"And what is THAT supposed to mean, you ingrain?!" Sands demanded, getting off the bed.

"It means, that we were attacked yesterday." El replied sarcastically.

"By who?!"

"We don't know. But Eric believes it was cartel, which I'm inclined to agree with."

"Great, just groovy." Sands grumbled. "Try not to get yourself killed Fuckmook, I ain't there to save your hide."

El bristled. "I don't NEED you to save my hide, as you put it!"

"El, if you wanted to skin a cat, how would you go about it catching it?" Sands asked, completely changing the subject as he heard a knock at the front door. He left the bed room and made his way to the front door.

"You'd set a snare..." El answered slowly.

"And if it was a particularly difficult cat?"

"Track it, I guess. What are you on about, Sands?"

"Oh, nothing." With that, Sands hung up, pulling his colt from his shoulder holster and hiding that hand behind the door as he opened it.

"Your tape recorder, sir." The bellhop held it out.

"Thank you." Sands took it, before closing the door. He moved back into the sitting room and picked up his jacket, he'd discarded some time ago.

Taking it and the recorder, he made his way into the bathroom, shutting the door. He slid six standard tape cases from both pockets. Each had a raised number label on them. He'd snatched them from the bag at random, before turning the back over to Sarah.

He fumbled for a few minutes, but managed to get the first at random, into the player. Sitting the player on the sink, he hit play as he lit a cigaretted, hoping up to sat on the counter next tape player, with his back to the mirror.

There was a few minutes of static, then, Mac's voice.

_"I know you will never fully understand why I chose to do what I did.. I know there are no words I can tell you to explain my actions, Jeff. But please try to understand. I never wanted to hurt you. Or Cerise...or Lily Rose. _

_If you're hearing this tape first, then you chose tape one. On the thirty tapes is as much audio evidence as I could get on Dupree, Monterio, and the shadowed individual they're working for."_

Sands leaned his head back as he took a long drag. There was a long pause in the tape, and when it picked up, he heard Mac's sleepy voice and Dupree's voice.

_"Rick, it's two in the morning...I need sleep..." _

_"Baby, you're gonna love this! I've got him this time! I've got the son of a bitch in a tight hold!" _

_"What are you talking about Rick_?" Sands turned his head toward the tape recorder as he heard back ground sounds on Mac's end. The sounds of someone sitting up audio equipment.

_"Just remember, tomorrow, is the Day of the Dead..." _

_"And that means what?" _

_"I'm going to make sure his whole fucking operation a wet worked roll up!" _

Sands shut off the player after that. He wasn't ready to listen to the rest. Proof Dupree had been behind his fall. Proof Doddson didn't have. He sneered at the tape recorder. "Would've been a hell a of a lot more fucking help, Mac, if you'd given me this tape the next DAY!"

He got off the counter and pulled his cellphone from his jean pocket again, holding it in his hand for a long moment. Probably one of the only stupid things he'd done in his life. But he hadn't even thought, until after calling El, to try Cerise's cellphone.

Still he hesitated. He couldn't bring himself to do it. What if there was no answer? What if there was no signal at all?

"And what if you're so fucking scared, you can't even trust her?!" He asked himself out loud finally, before hitting the memory speed dial.

* * *

Translation:

Modo trucido me nunc Just kill me now

Author's Note: I owe a lot of this LONG chapter to my PiC, Scarlett who helped me figure out a lot of it, such as the scene with Mac, and Sarah. Yes, Sands may seem a bit darker...but it's okay, it's all for the good of the story. ;)

Thank you to my lovely readers, I love ya for stickin' with me, and Sands 'does' too!


	29. The Call

Cerise was jerked out of her nap by the sound of her cell phone, buried deep in her coat pockets. Durning the entire night, she'd gotten nothing but the no signal indication.

Now it was ringing. Cerise nearly scrambled over Lily Rose, in the church's pew to reach her jacket, which her daughter had flung off some time durning the night. She snatched it up off the floor and began digging through the vast pockets for her cell phone.

"Where is it..." She rambled to herself, digging furiously through the pockets.

"Gotcha!" She yanked the little silver case out, but just as she did, it stopped ringing.

"NO!" She cried, before looking around the sanctuary of the church, but it was still empty. "Bugger it!" She growled, turning the phone over and flipping it open to find out who the call was from.

"Sheldon! Yes!" She turned her phone back on and checked the signal, which was now clear. Then she hit the call back.

But he had his phone turned off. "Oh you bloody bastard!" She snapped at the phone, attempting to ring it's neck, as if she concentrated hard enough, she could ring Sands' neck, through the phone.

Knowing she had a signal now, she dailed Sarah's number and waited, while biting her thumb nail.

"Cerise?!" Sarah's voice sounded ecstatic.

"The one and only!" Cerise replied, grinning.

"Oh my God, are you alright?! We thought...when the apartment building went up..."

"I'm peachy keen, Sarah, as is Lily Rose. Where is Sheldon!?"

"Er...uh...well to be perfectly honest, Cerise, I haven't got the slightest clue..." Sarah replied sheepishly.

"He's not there?" Cerise asked dryly.

"No," Sarah swallowed. "He...took off after waking up, after the twins sedated him, to keep him from going back into the burning building...and we haven't...well,. the others haven't heard anything from him. I saw him early this morning...he wanted me to hold on to something..."

"The bloody bastard calls me, then hangs up, BEFORE I can answer mine and when I call him back, he's got his bloody phone off!" Cerise ranted.

"Sounds like him..." Sarah said dryly. "Where are you?"

"St. Peters' Cathedral, across town." Cerise answered.

"Sit tight, I'm on my way!" Sarah said, before hanging up.

Cerise turned off her phone and leaned against the pew, looking down at Lily, who was still curled up next to her. She heard footsteps behind her, but didn't turn, figuring it was a nun or priest.

"Where is he, Cerise?"

She smiled drly, but still didn't turn. "I wondered, how long it would take you, Kenji?"

Kenji came around to the pew in front of her, and sat down, facing her. "Cerise, this is serious. Where is Sheldon?"

Cerise shrugged, shaking her head. "No one has a clue. Least of all me."

"Cerise, if you're holding out on information, I could arrest you, right here."

She held up her hands, wrists together, silently mocking Kenji to arrest her. Kenji swore, running a hand through his hair. "Cerise, at this moment, Sands status is considered rogue. Now the Company is not going to over look it this time, if he's doing things his own way. Besides, going after revenge is HARDLY doing the job he was sent over here to do."

"But it's all connected, Kenji, and you know it is." Cerise said, lowering her hands. She got up, and pulled on her jacket, before picking up Lily Rose who sniffled, but stayed a sleep.

Turning back to look at Kenji, she said. "Stay out of his way, Kenji. I can make no guarantees of what will happen if you try to stop him."

"The mole, Cerise..." Kenji reminded her.

"That's what the team will do. Until Sands is done with what ever it is, he's out there doing, and comes back to the team, I'll run it. I'll run the operation. But if my daughter's life is questioned, then no game. You can tell Roth that." With that, she started for the door, but heard Kenji call after her.

"Cerise, if I don't find Sands, and the others do first, they have the order to silence him, if he does not cooperate. Is that what you want, to be a widow?"

Cerise looked over her shoulder with a cold look. "Then I suggest, Kenji, that YOU get out there, and find him." With that she went out side to wait for Sarah.

* * *

Which didn't take long. Sarah pulled up, a few minutes after Kenji left with out a word. "Everything alright?" Sarah asked after Cerise had settled Lily Rose into the back of the company car and gotten in beside Sarah. 

"No." Cerise said softly, looking out the window.

"What is it?" Sarah asked, just as softly.

"Roth has given the order..." Cerise looked at Sarah, whos eyes went wide.

"Silence him!? But why!?"

"He's not under Doddson's protection here, for one. Two...as far as the Company is concerned. Sheldon Jeffrey Sands has officially gone rogue this time. Kenji found me and told me, if Sheldon does not cooperate when they try to bring him in...they're to take executive action..."

She ran her hands over her face, swearing harshly. "I don't know what I'm going to do, Sarah!? I've got to find him, and run this bloody operation at the same time!"

Sarah sighed, heading for the safe house. "Sammy's in the area...he contacted me last night...said some serious business went down. I think you'll want to see him, Cerise..." She said softly.

Cerise looked over at her. "Mac too?"

Sarha shrugged. Cerise nodded and held out her hand. Sarah dug out her cellphone and handed it to the other woman, who found Sammy's number on it easily and dialed back.

"Hello?"Sammy's voice came up almost at once.

"Care to meet some where, Sam?" Cerise asked.

"Yeah, the art museum. I'm there now."

"Interesting choice. I'll have Sarah make a detour." She didn't even bother to ask if he thought she was dead.

"See ya then." Sammy hung up. He sounded very sullen and forlorn.

"The art museum, Sarah. ASAP." Cerise said softly, still looking out the window.

Sarah made a sharp turn, heading towards the museum. "You can you can handle this Cerise, or do we need back up?" She asked softly, not looking at the red head.

Cerise snorted. "I can handle it, Sarah. One way or another." She replied softly.

Sarah let her out at the museum, with the promise to take Lily back to the safe house. "Do you want one of the twins to come pick you up?" Sarah asked as Cerise leaned down at her window.

"No, I've got some things to take care of...I'm going to have to...go all out for this..." Cerise said with a sigh, looking up at the sky a moment.

Sarah found herself shuddering, and not from the cold. "Don't do anything stupid, Cerise. We need you."

Cerise smiled slightly, looking back at Sarah. "I'm not that crazy, luv. But I do have to do this...it has to be me that finds him, other wise..." She let the sentence hang.

"There's something else." Sarah said softly. "Sands asked me to hold on to a bag of audio tapes. Now I have no idea what they are...but you may want to take a look at them later..."

"I will." Cerise patted her shoulder through the window as she stood straight. She watched Sarah drive off, before turning and going up the steps into the museum. Sarah had given her the address of the new safe house.

It wasn't hard to locate Sammy, who was standing in front of some ancient greek vases. He didn't look up as she came to stand next to him, but he looked very depressed.

"Something you want to talk about, Sammy?" Cerise asked him softly as she studied the vases.

"Sands..." Sammy answered.

"What about him..." Cerise raised an eyebrow.

Sammy finally turned to her. "You've got to find him, Cerise, before he goes completely off the edge, and he probably already has." He said earnestly.

Cerise held up a hand, to stop him talking. "I'm working on it, Sammy. Is that all?"

"No." Sammy answered, running a hand over his face. He paused, then sighed. "You're gonna wanna hear this..." He took a small recorder out of his pocket and pushed play.

What Cerise heard, was the conversation Sammy had had with Carmichael, and Sands shooting Carmichael. When it was finished she stood still a moment, before saying. "So Tom was still alive after all...I suspected that... but..." She frowned. "No, I don't..." she bit her lip. "He was lying Sammy."

Sammy raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean, he was lying?" He asked.

"Call it woman's intuition, Sammy. But I know he was lying...did you and Sands...check the body."

"Not exactly, Sands was in a hurry to get out of there." Sammy answered with a grimace.

"Well then, don't think we've heard the last from Carmichael...I just wish I could figure out what he's playing at..." Cerise muttered with another frown. "I never could figure out what he was playing at..."

"No one could...or can..."

"Except Sheldon." Cerise answered softly. She straightened up. "Alright Sammy, is that everything, because I've got to go run some errands."

"Yeah." Sammy said softly. "I'll be at the Hilton, if YOU need me..." He said, stressing the word You.

Cerise raised an eyebrow, but didn't question in. She just nodded. "Watch your self Sammy." She said, turning to leave.

"And you, Cerise. For his sake..."

Cerise didn't answer, but nodded, leaving.

* * *

When she arrived at Cyprus' club, Brutus was just coming out of the main door and he stopped, looking at her, as Cerise looked down from the name over the door. "Can I help you?" He asked her. 

"I'm looking for Cyprus."

"He's not here." Brutus answered flatly.

"I think he is. And I'm a friend of Sands...this is an emergency." She said softly, but dangerously.

Brutus blinked, then motioned. "Just a moment." He turned and pressed a button on the intercom.

"What is it Brutus? I told you I was working and did NOT want to be disturb!"

"Yes sir, I know, but there's a young woman down here, who says she's a friend of Sands and it's an emergency..."

There was silence, then. "Bring her up. Now!"

"Yes sir!" Brutus turned to Cerise. "This way." He opened the now silent club door for her.

He led her up the back stairs from the party room, to Cyprus' apartment and labs and opened the door for her. "Go right in." He told her.

Cerise slid past him, into the first and sitting room of Cyprus' apartment, looking around at the very modern art setting. She moved around the room, finding photos on the wall, and interesting choice. By the door leading into the rest of the place, was a small framed picture of Cyprus and Sands, in Air Force uniforms.

She raised a hand, her fingers touching Sands' image for a moment.

"He never told you then?" A voice broke her thoughts.

Cerise turned to find Cyprus standing behind her. She smiled ever so slightly, finally getting to meet the man who'd made Sands' best weapons. "No, he told me...I just...never saw any pictures of him from that time." She said, gesturing to the photo.

"Sands and I go way back. To bootcamp actually. Course even then, he could be a perfect asshole." Cyprus said, coming over, to stand near Cerise, looking at the photo as well. Then he turned to her. "And now, just who are you and what do you want?"

Cerise laughed softly and held up her left hand. "My name is Cerise Sands, Stone, being my maiden name. I'm Sheldon's wife and partner. And you know what I want."

"The suits are after him, aren't they?"

Cerise nodded. "He'll stay two steps ahead of them, but I don't know how long his luck will hold out. I've got to find him."

* * *

Author's Note: Terribly sorry for how long this took. School and holidays have boggled me down. I'll do what I can to keep up with all my stories...


	30. Chase

The agents closed on the old warehouse. Sands pressed himself in to a nitch just inside the door and loaded his guns. The bastards were getting better, that's was for sure. They hadn't taken to long to track him. He held himself absolutely still, he heard the scraps and slids of the agents about to enter.

"Agent Sands, give yourself up!" Came a voice from outside.

Sands wasn't baited to answer.

"Agent Sheldon Jeffrey Sands, your charged with treason, terrorist acts and murder of a fellow agent."

So they'd found Mac's body, Sands swore, hoping it would have taken them a day longer to track that one down. He still didn't answer. He hosltered his weapons and in the semi dark, began feeling his way along the wall to a stair well, which he climbed silently in a crouch.

As he began crossing the cat walk, he heard the down stairs windows and doors beginning to be busted in. He crouched behind a small solid panel, watching the agents around the corner. They brought shotguns...Damn, they were playing for keeps this time.

Sands mocked side and drew his guns. Guess he was going to have to shoot a few. He began making his way along the cat walk, trying to stay out of sight, when the agents opened fire.

Sands threw himself along the cat walk and opened fire on the ground level, not caring if he was hitting anyone or not. He hurried in a crouch into a slightly open door way and stood up, surveying as much of the room as he could.

It was the main factor floor and Sands ran down the stair well, to the machine covered ground floor. He wove in and out of the tables as he heard the agents follow him into the room. Ducking behind one table, he listened for the director the agents were moving in.

Hearing them hesitate, he began crawling back through the mass of tables, until another agent spotted him and tried to shoot him. Sands rolled behind a table and paused again, getting up on his hands and knees.

For the fun of it he, decided to banter with them. "Hey, you guys are actually getting better." He called out, before hurring along behind a few tables away and heard some jittery shots in the direction he'd formally been.

Farm regets he measured. He was wrong about them getting better, they were just nervous.

He scurried behind a far table and crouched, swinging off the black bag on his shoulder and digging through it, before he found what he was looking for. He took the pin and lobbed it over the table in the direction of movement and hurried out the back door.

He heard the explosion as he hurried around the corner of the building, only to come to a stop as he heard a gun cocking behind his head.

"You shouldn't have tried to run, Jeff." Kenji said seriously.

Sands held up his hands slowly, but didn't turn. "You expect any different from me, Kenji?"

"I guess not, but you know what this means, don't you?" Kenji asked.

"Nice of them to send a friend to do it." Sands retorted.

Kenji gave a bitter chuckle. "Your dance number's over, Jeff."

Sands turned around, facing Kenji with a calm look. "You gonna take me out like a mark, Kenji?"

"Think I'm stupid to try and take you any other way?" Kenji retorted this.

"What happened to your honor?"

"Left that in Tokyo." Kenji's finger tightened on the trigger. The shot reverberated around the yard.

* * *

Cerise studied the files as Sarah stood by the printer. "This is all you have?" Cerise asked, raising an eye at her 

"We've been reoccupied with the current events." Sarah answered sarcastically.

There was a knock at the door. Cerise sit the papers on the table as she answered Sarah, heading for the door, pulling her gun as she went. "I want more Sarah, and forget about Sheldon, right now and focusing on the mole. There's not a damn thing we can do to help Shelly while he's out doing this." She arrived at the door and undid the locks, cocking her gun and opened the door a crack, sticking the gun out the door.

Sammy raised his hands, looking pale and forlorn.

Cerise gave him a look and pulled her gun back inside, uncocking it while she undid the locks and let him in. She holstered her gun. "Thats a good way to get yourself shot, Sammy." She told him.

"Yeah, well, I come with really bad news, Cerise." Sammy answered softly.

Cerise regarded him, already having a sinking feeling she knew what he was going to say.

Sammy took a deep breath and said. "They caught up to him."

There was a sharp intake of breath, the breaking of a cup and a muttered curse.

* * *

Author's Note: Aggravatingly short chapter, I know. . Working on a longer 31. 

Thanks to all my reviewers.


	31. Loose Ends

Author's Note: No, I haven't given up on this story. I am sorry for leaving everyone hanging for as long as I did. But I'm back now.

* * *

Cerise had left Lily Rose with Sarah and Letty and went with Sammy to the headquaters. They got out of the car in silence, which had been the entire drive as well. Cerise hesitated infront of the building, then followed Sammy inside.

He led her down a hall, and a flight of stairs to the infirmary and morgue. Cerise stopped outside the door, taking a deep breath. Sammy turned to her. "You sure you wanna do this?" He asked her softly.

"I've gotta know for sure." She replied, looking at the double stainless steel doors. "Its not the first time, is it?"

Sammy placed a hand on her shoulder and Cerise smiled wearily at him. With a nod, Sammy opened the door and led Cerise inside.

The M.E. nodded as Sammy spoke softly and turned, going down the line of lockers, stopping at one and opening it. He pulled the door open, pulling out the drawer. As he unzipped the body bag, Cerise and Sammy came over.

"Oh my god." Cerise gasped as the body was revealed, almost completely charred. She could see the outline of his distinctive features. But almost all identifiable marks were unidentifiable...

"Is this Officer SJ Sands?" The M.E. asked softly.

Cerise stared at the body, almost willing the features to the body. She reached out a tentive hand. It was unreal, to even consider her husband and partner was laying on this table. Unbelievable to even consider that Sheldon Jeffrey Sands had gone down like this.

And even as that thought crossed her mind, she raised her eyes, looking at Sammy who was standing on the other side of the table. He raised his own eyes from looking at the body. For a long silent moment, they stared at each other, the silence conveying the reality between them.

Cerise's other hand went to her mouth, as if to stop the hysterical grin from happening and a nervous giggle escaped her, before she clamped a hand over her mouth. "No." She managed to get out. "It's not Sheldon!"

Sammy stared at her in disbelief. "Cerise!? How can it not be?!"

Cerise turned from the body, feeling shaky with relief. "It's not! Sammy he wouldn't have gone down like that! I KNOW he wouldn't have gone down like that. Not believing Lily Rose and I are dead...gods know he wouldn't have gone down like this!" She stared across the room toward the door, the M.E staring after her with a neutral expression.

Sammy glanced at the body, then headed after Cerise. She flung both doors open, heading out of the morgue. "Cerise, you know as well as I, if they caught up with him, he'd be dead!" Sammy said, breaking into a sprint to catch her.

"Sammy, Sheldon wouldn't have let them catch up. He's out there. And I intend to find him." Cerise answered, heading for the elevator.

* * *

Kenji let go of the gun with a hiss, it cabbled to grave with a muffled metalic thud. His other hand went to his shoulder, as the intense pain shot through him. 

Sands gave him a dark and psychotic smile, the gun had slid from the sleeve of his jacket.

"You really are a bastard, Jeff."

"So my mother kept telling me when I was a kid." Sands replied with a non chalant shrug. "Now do I have to shoot you in the head, or can I walk away?"

Kenji gave a shaky laugh. In the old warehouse, came the shouts of other officers. Kenji glanced back that way. He looked back at Sands, before reaching out and shoving him with his other hand. "Go!" He hissed.

Sands saluted him with out another word and turned. "Jeff!" Kenji hissed. Sands paused only a moment. "Cerise and Lily Rose are alive, they're with Sarah. And I wasn't going to shoot you."

Sands swallowed hard, processing that information, trying to decide rather or not he could believe Kenji. What motive would Kenji have to lie to him over Cerise and his daughter? What motive would he have not to. He shoved this out of his mind for now and snorted at Kenji's last words. "I know." He said simply, before slinking into the shadows.

Kenji shook his head and watched him go. Rather or not Sands believed him was all up to Sands. Kenji knew how ever, that to finish this, to take down all these secrets, all these conspiracies, Sands was better off playing by his own rules. Now if he could just stay one step a head of the rest of the company.

* * *

Cerise left Sammy in the HQ building and headed back across town. Her destination was Cyprus' club. Upon arriving and getting out, she found Brutus already opening the door for her. "He's waiting for you." 

"Thank you Brutus." Cerise said, heading inside the empty club and the direction Brutus had taken her before. She took the steps two at a time and entered the apartment.

Cyprus came out of a side room and motioned for her to follow him. He led her into his labs and to a corner set up with several computers. "Any luck?" Cerise asked.

"You know as well as I do it's almost impossible to get a lead on the Sandman..." Cyprus said, Cerise gave him a look. "BUT, I do have this." He turned to his computer and after a bit of typing, pulled up a few shots from the surveillance of the Regency Hotel's lobby. Cerise leaned closer, spotting the familiar figure with a familiar dog.

"When was this?" Cerise asked quickly.

"This morning, about seven am." Cyprus said.

Cerise looked at her watch, it was nearly eleven pm. "He could have checked out by now. Do you have the registry?" Cerise asked looking back at Cyprus.

"Yeah, but not any names I recognizee." He said.

"Let me have it." Cerise said. Cyprus handed her a leftlet of papers, Cerise began scanning through them.

"What do you think he's doing?" Cyprus asked as he watched her pace as she read.

Cerise snorted. "Looking for Dupre...or possibly Carmichael. He wants revenge." She answered as she read through the names.

"Well I think that was a given, but why he's so quiet?"

"He's not. Some of the Company caught up with him this afternoon. Sammy came to tell me he was dead, but when I went to identify the body..." Cerise stopped. "Oh my God..." She looked up at Cyprus.

Cyprus raised an eyebrow. "What?"

Cerise gave a shaky laugh. "I have a feeling that body in the morgue was Dupree.. Damn!" She fished out her cellphone as she sat the papers on the work table next to her and dialed Sarah's number.

"Yeah?"

"Do you have the whereabouts of Dupree yet?" Cerise asked.

She heard Sarah sigh deeply. "You know I don't, Cerise." Sarah answered.

"Then I suggest you start WORKING HARDER!" Cerise snarled through the phone. She knew Sarah would have bristled. "Sarah, we don't have a lot of bloody time here and you are trained a hell of a lot better then this. Put the the twins on it, I don't care how much man power you have to use. But here's a clue. See if M.E. has identified the body yet, because I've got a sneaky feeling that was Dupree." Cerise had turned her eyes back to the papers as she talked.

"You really think so?" Sarah asked with a dry sarcastic tone.

"Not for sure, but...call it a gut instinct and I think we can trace it back to Carmichael."

"You know I'm getting really sick off all this shit..." Sarah said tiredly.

Cerise gave a soft snort. "You and me both, hun, you and me both." Cerise hung up on Sarah at that.

"How can you keep your sanity through all this?" Cyprus asked.

"I remember I'm doing it for my daughter." Cerise answered with out looking up at him as she turned the page. Then she barked a laugh. "Oh Simon would be thrilled." She said softly, before laying the papers down in front of Cyprus, her nail on a name. Simon Templar. "Find out if there's been any other transactions anywhere in the city by this name. I know you can, Cyprus." Cerise said.

Cyprus gave her a look. "It'll be a bit of a work."

"Yes, but it may be our only lead." Cerise answered, looking at him.

"I hope you know what you're doing, girl." Cyprus said softly, turning back to the computer.

"So do I, Cyprus, so do I." Cerise said softly.

* * *

Washu entered the Dakota after the door man let her in and headed for the Southeast lobby, before taking the elevator up several floors. Then down a short hall, toward a door. 

Which opened by a tall man with very pale skin, equally pale white blonde hair brushed back from the high forehead. He was dressed in a neat, expensive black suit. His features where fine and chiseled, looking more like a statue come to life. His eyes were a very light color.

He gave her a charming smile as she approached the door. "Ah, my dear Asia, how nice of you to join me this afternoon." Special Agent Pendergast said as she arrived at his doorstep and he held out a hand.

Asia smiled just as charmingly and warmly, taking his hand. "It's all my pleasure, my dear Pendergast."

He stepped back into the apartment, motioning her in. Washu stepped into the hall, with it's rose colored walls, one side a floor to ceiling sheet of black marble which water ran gently to pool at the bottom of the small fountain.

"We'll take our tea in the sitting room." Pendergast said, leading her through the richly furnished greeting hall down another hall that was was rosed colored, and opened the third door on the left, before bowing her in.

Washu stepped past him into the room, feeling for a moment as if she'd stepped back into a victorian parlor in Victorian England. Two wing backed chairs sat on either side of a small tea table which had already been sat with an expensive china and silver tea service. Pendergast gestured for her to take a chair and Washu sat down, as Pendergast sat about pouring two cups of green tea. "You couldn't have arrived at a better time, Asia. The water is perfect."

Washu chuckled, taking her cup, as Pendergast sat down opposite of her. "So I took it from your call, that this was a rather serious matter." He said as he took a sip.

"A gravies matter," Washu replied, doing her best to hid her smirk, Pendergast always amused her, mush to his annoyance. "It concerns a...dear friend, Sands..."

Pendergast raised an eyebrow, as he was about to take another sip and lowered his cup slowly, appraising Asia. "Has he been arrested for cattle rustling again?"

Washu bit back her laugh and looked at Pendergast. "Not quiet." She said, before sitting down her cup. "Aloysius, you know I wouldn't come to you, if I didn't think you couldn't be of some help in this matter...you know that I would never make light of the debt between us." She said softly, seriously.

Pendergast inclined his head, sitting down his own cup. "Indeed, Asia." He gave a soft, almost unheard sigh, and looked at her. "What has Jeffrey got himself into this time?"

Washu reached into the brief case she'd carried up with her and handed him the folder. Pendergast took it, his eyes quickly reading through the contents. Washu waited patiently. After some time, Pendergast lowered the folder, to look at Washu with a started expression Washu or anyone rarely saw on him. "I was aware Jeffrey was a remarkable man, but I truly did not suspect, or even begin to fathom its source."

"It goes well beyond that." Washu said softly, picking up her cup and taking a sip while turning her eyes toward the window that offered a marvelous view of Central Park.

"How so?" Pendergast asked.

"It seems there are several...higher ups in the Company who wish to cover these incidents up...at the cost of innocent lives." Washu said softly, before launching into the whole story.

Pendergast listened with out interruption. "I see." He said at length, before sitting his cup down again. He was quiet for a long moment, before getting up from his chair and walking toward the window, his hands clasped behind his back. "And where is Jeffrey at present?"

"Prague, ferreting out a mole. But as of...this morning, there's been some serious trouble." Washu said softly, before telling Pendergast of the previous night's events.

Pendergast was silent for a couple more minutes. Washu watched him. She knew he was weighing everything. How ever Pendergast may have jested at Sands' expense, he owed the man his life from a previous case the both had together.

At long lengths, Pendergast turned back to Washu. "Well I can only see two possibilities to my assisting on this. Either I accompany you to England to speak to these doctors, or I go to Prague and serve my debt. Which would you rather have of me?"

Washu sat back in the chair, finishing her tea and stared for a long moment at the far wall and the painting on it, weighing her own options. Pendergast's outstanding intellect would be a welcome addition to her own on unraveling the mysteries she was presented with, of course. But he was also a fully trained agent of black ops and would be of great assistance to Cerise in locating Sands. Washu sighed after a length of time.

"To be perfectly honest Aloysius, I think you could better help Cerise in locating Sands..." Washu said finally. "Thats not to say your intelligence wouldn't be of great help to me...but...finding and stopping Sands is of greater urgency."

Pendergast inclined his head again. "Perhaps after I've done that, it wont be to late to assist you." He said softly. He came back from the window, while removing his cellphone from his inner coat pocket. "It will take an hour or two to make arrangements." He said as he dialed, and taking a seat again.

"Of course." Washu said with a nod. "And while you do that, I'll contact Cerise, to let her know you're coming. I'll have all the contact information you need to meet up with her and her team." Washu said removing her own cellphone.

* * *

Eric rubbed the back of his neck as he sat on the couch. He'd argued at length with Marie over all of this. She diddn't want to trust El and these other two men. Eric couldn't blame her, but he didn't see that they had much choice. 

With a sigh he got up off the couch. It was the middle of the night. Marie was curled up in a chair, Eric had the couch and the other two men had the guest room. Eric moved toward the side door of El's house. Taking his gun with him, he stepped out into the warm night.

But found he wasn't alone. Some one was already sitting on the step, smoking a cigar. Eric looked at Antony, who glanced up as Eric came out. "Can't sleep?" Antony asked conversationally.

"Does it show?" Eric asked with a wry smirk.

"Only too well." Antony answered looking back at the streets of the Mexican town. Eric sat down on the other side of him, staring at the same streets. They were quiet for a moment, Antony puffing on his cigar.

"I never could see how some one could smoke those..." Eric said softly, glancing at him.

Antony smirked slightly. "It's required a taste. I've got a few more if you wish to try."

Eric chuckled softly. "I think I'll pass." He said softly.

Antony chuckled himself. After a few more minutes of silence, Eric sighed. "We're not doing each other any good, by keeping at such a casual distance." He said after a moment.

"We're not exactly friends." Antony said calmly in reply with out looking at him.

"No, that's true. By rights we should be on the opposite sides of the law. By rights, I should have arrested you upon realizing who you were. I doubt Marie recognizes you and your brother, she's a bit young for that...and I'm not sure how Sands has come to be in such...know with common criminals..." He said softly, The words weren't an insult, but he was sure if the other brother had been out here, that's how they would have been taken.

Antony chuckled ruefully. "It actually surprises you to think Sands would be in the know of such...common criminals. And I assure you, Mr. Cameron, there's nothing common about my brother and I." Antony said just as softly, finally looking over at Eric with a smirk that was reminiscent of Sands.

Eric looked at him and that smirk for a long moment, then shook his head. "No, nothing or anyone Sands knows surprises me, Mr. Kilpatrick." He was quiet for a long moment. "You are, aren't you?"

"Are what?" Antony said turning back to the streets.

"Sands' older brothers..." Eric said even softer.

Antony's smirk turned dark and dry. "And how did you come to that conclusion, Mr. Cameron?"

"Well besides the certain resemblance, Sands lack of enuthasim in discusing his family and your brother's oblvious psychotic side which must run in the family, I find it hard to believe Sands would have...called on any one for this, other then family, especially to trust El Marachi around them..." Eric said.

Antony chuckled again, glancing at Eric. "Astute assumption Mr. Cameron. Yes, Daniel and I are Sheldon's older brothers. He has his reasons for not discusing his family, much to my father's pains..." Antony said softly.

Eric didn't reply to that, he leaned back against the stone of the building. "Regardless. The simple fact is, none of us are going to get out of Mexico alive if we don't work together...well maybe you and your brother, but..." Eric glanced back at the house. "I should have never brought Marie into this." Eric said softly.

"Into what?" Antony asked softly.

Eric sighed. "Four years ago, an incident happened in Culican. Sands...partner...wife now, but I'm sure you may know that, Cerise...was shot almost fatally in an alley...Sands claims that a man named Monterio did it...Monterio claimed Sands did it. Two days after it happened, Sands was picked up in the desert with no memory of the event..."

"Right, Sands explained this to me..." Antony said.

"He's one step ahead...as always." Eric said with a slight smirk, then went on. "All this has something to do with...some events that happened to Sands about seven years ago.. Marie and I came down here, to see if we could get to the bottom of it, to find out who really pulled that trigger. Monterio wouldn't have been stupid enough. So the theory presently is there was a sniper." Eric said softly.

"Possible. Makes sense." Antony said with a nod, taking a drag of his cigar. They fell quiet again for a moment, before Antony said. "Sheldon asked Danny and I to come to Mexico and...detain a certain Dr. Guivera." He said at lengths.

Eric looked over at him, a touch of surprise. "Guivera...the man who took his eyes... I get the feeling this is even connected to all this..."

"Is what you're doing for the best of my brother and his family?" Antony asked, looking over at him.

Eric sighed. "I can't say Sands and I are the best of friends. But he's a good man, and a damn good agent. And an innocent man...at least of...this... So yeah."

Antony nodded after a length. "Then we'll work together. Here in Mexico at least." He extended his hand to Eric. Eric hesitated only a minute before taking it.

"Deal."


End file.
